Francis Ngannou is thinking outside the box as he searches for his next boxing opponent.
The former UFC heavyweight champion famously dropped Tyson Fury in his October 2023 ring debut.
A controversial split decision defeat against ‘The Gypsy King’ was enough to earn him another big boxing bout against Anthony Joshua, who ruthlessly knocked Ngannou out cold when they clashed in April 2024.
‘The Predator’ returned to MMA and won the PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship by quickly stopping Renan Ferreira in October – now he’s heading back to the squared circle in pursuit of a long overdue pro boxing win.
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Deontay Wilder appears to be the frontrunner to face Ngannou after calling him out earlier this year.
It would be a clash between two of the biggest punchers on the planet that would surely end in a big KO.
If that fight doesn’t come together, Ngannou is open to facing off against boxing legend Wladimir Klitschko.
The 48-year-old retired in 2017, but he’s recently been linked to a sensational return to the ring.
Ngannou thinks he could be the perfect comeback opponent for Klitschko – but if that fight doesn’t happen, he’s also open to the possibility of boxing perennial heavyweight contender Derek Chisora or kickboxing phenom Rico Verhoeven.
“I have a few fights left,” the 38-year-old recently told Sportsbook Review.
“I focus on very few fights, not on options. There’s a lot of options. [Kickboxer] Rico Verhoeven could happen, but I don’t know. Rico is an option, Derek Chisora is an option, Wladimir Klitschko could be an option.
“I want a boxing fight next, I’d prefer a boxing fight next. I think it’s also about the timing.”
Daniel Cormier expresses concern for Francis Ngannou
Not everyone wants to see Ngannou box again after watching him go 0-2 against the very best.
In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, former dual-weight UFC champion Daniel Cormier expressed concern for Ngannou amid rumors about a potential clash with Wilder.
“Sure, he’s going to make a boatload of money, he always does, but at what point do you go [I don’t know] because if you ask me it would seem like he’s up against it again,” the UFC Hall of Famer said.
“Maybe he’s just the biggest, baddest man on the planet that we all believe and he doesn’t care that he’s up against it and he wants to prove everyone wrong like he did the first time when he fought Tyson Fury and he fought him to a very close fight.
“But we cannot ignore the visuals of what we saw the last time, especially when he came back to MMA and fought so well…
“People don’t hurt Francis Ngannou, but when it happened in the [Anthony Joshua] fight, he looked lost.
“That’s what’s concerning to me. Because I know there will be moments in that fight with Deontay Wilder the way that he punches where he’s going to need to find safety.”