JAKARTA — Five potential boxing fights that Francis Ngannou is likely to participate in began to be discussed after the heavyweight champion left the UFC last week.
The mixed martial artist looks set to pave the way for the boxing ring to fulfill his childhood dream. That was after Ngannou failed to agree to a new contract with the UFC.
The fighter left the promotion while still the heavyweight champion. As such, the title has also been vacated by the most well-known mixed martial arts promotion company.
After officially leaving the UFC, Ngannou also confirmed that he wanted to pursue his dream of boxing. So, here are five potential duels if he really gets into the boxing ring.
Tyson Fury
The first choice is the 34-year-old world number one WBC champion. So far Fury has recorded an impressive record of never having lost in 34 fights (24 KOs).
Fury's promoter from the United States, Bob Arum, has given the green light for this fight before. He is reportedly optimistic that talks to realize this fight will run easily.
Deontay Wilder
Wilder, 37, is another option Ngannou has talked about before. If realized, the duel between the two fighters is guaranteed to be a blockbuster for fans.
The two are considered to be the two greatest fighters in the world today. Therefore, their encounter in the ring automatically promises a very explosive prospect.
Anthony Joshua
Joshua, 33, was also mentioned by Ngannou as a potential boxing opponent. "Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua would be my ideal first opponent," he previously said in The Sun.
Joshua is currently seeking to make a comeback in the boxing ring after suffering a third defeat of his career in a rematch against Ukrainian champion Oleksandr Usyk last August.
Dillian Whyte
An unmissable name on Ngannou's list of potential opponents is Whyte, who just rebounded from a loss to Fury with a unanimous decision win over Jermaine Franklin last November.
Whyte is currently one of the potential opponents of Joshua, who is set to return to the ring in April. Eddie Hearn previously gave a signal, Whyte and Joshua's duel took place in the summer of this year. So, Ngannou could find time after.
Derek Chisora
Chisora was just beaten by Fury in a ten-round fight last December. However, he still ruled out retiring.
The 38-year-old fighter previously even admitted that he was interested in trying out the world of mixed martial arts.
The plan was even accompanied by challenging Ngannou. "I will try to fight Ngannou. I want to do it in the UFC and boxing," he said as quoted by The Sun.
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