Francis Ngannou's Transition to Boxing
Francis Ngannou, the formidable former UFC heavyweight champion, has set his sights on a new combat sports horizon: boxing. At 37 years of age, Ngannou is not content to rest on his laurels and is actively seeking to challenge himself against some of the biggest names in the world of heavyweight boxing.
Upcoming Bout with Anthony Joshua
Ngannou's ambition will soon be put to the test as he prepares for an upcoming boxing match against none other than Anthony Joshua. Joshua, a prominent figure in the boxing scene, has bounced back impressively from his previous setbacks against Oleksandr Usyk, securing three victories since those defeats. This matchup promises to be a high-stakes encounter between two of the sport's most powerful punchers.
Near Victory Over Tyson Fury
The Cameroonian powerhouse has already showcased his potential in the squared circle, having narrowly missed out on a victory against Tyson Fury in a non-title bout. The performance against Fury, one of boxing's elite, has only fueled Ngannou's desire to prove himself further in this discipline.
Desire to Fight Deontay Wilder
Among the names Ngannou is eager to face is the hard-hitting American, Deontay Wilder. Known for his devastating knockout power, Wilder holds an impressive record of 42 knockouts. Despite a recent loss to Joseph Parker, Wilder remains a highly respected and feared competitor in the heavyweight division. Ngannou has expressed a clear intent to add a fight with Wilder to his record, signaling his determination to take on the best in the business.
Reflections on MMA Career and Future Challenges
Reflecting on his illustrious career in mixed martial arts, Ngannou acknowledges that he reached the pinnacle of the sport by becoming the UFC heavyweight champion in 2021. His title defense against Ciryl Gane solidified his status as a dominant force within the MMA community. However, Ngannou feels that he has achieved all that he set out to do in MMA and is now looking for fresh challenges to invigorate his competitive spirit.
"In my MMA career, I got to the point that is everyone's dream. I was MMA champion. There are some great fights to do in MMA, but there's not a new challenge, something exciting in MMA," Ngannou stated, underlining his quest for novel pursuits that can reignite his passion for combat sports.
Potential PFL Involvement
While Ngannou has signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), he has yet to step into their arena. Interestingly, there has been speculation about a potential clash with Deontay Wilder under the PFL banner. Ngannou's comments on the matter suggest that he is open to various possibilities, indicating the dynamic nature of fight sports where opportunities can emerge unexpectedly. "Two months ago, we were talking about fighting Deontay Wilder in the PFL [Professional Fighters League]. The landscape can change quickly. Everything is possible," he remarked.
Ngannou's Boxing Aspirations
As Ngannou transitions fully into his boxing career, he is acutely aware of the challenges ahead. He has identified Fury, Joshua, and Wilder as the top three adversaries he wishes to confront in the ring. These ambitions highlight Ngannou's unwavering commitment to test himself against the crème de la crème of heavyweight boxing.
"I'm here for the boxing career, and there I have a lot of challenges, a lot of names. For example, the top three guys that I've always had are Fury, Joshua, and Wilder," Ngannou articulated, shedding light on his targeted path in the boxing realm.
He further emphasized the distinction between his past and present endeavors, stating, "It's a boxing career; it's not an MMA career now. We are here talking about my boxing career."
With his sights firmly set on conquering new peaks, Francis Ngannou's venture into boxing is not merely a continuation of his fighting journey but a bold declaration of his relentless pursuit of greatness across combat sports disciplines.