Ngannou Details ‘Advanced Discussions’ With Wilder

Ngannou and Wilder have been flirting with a two-fight deal to compete against each other in their respective sports.

Deontay Wilder shook up the MMA game when he appeared on last week’s PFL broadcast to discuss a possible cage fight with Francis Ngannou.

It was part of what Wilder is hoping will be a two-fight crossover deal where he and Ngannou fight each other in their respective sports. First Ngannou would box Wilder, and then Wilder would fight Ngannou in mixed martial arts.

In a new interview with The Schmo, Francis Ngannou talked about the match up. When asked if the fight interested him, Ngannou said yes.

“Of course,” he declared. “We’ve been having conversations. We were having conversations earlier this year before the potential fight in December. So, that’s why we’re going to hold that up so he can finish his business in December. But we were serious about a two-fight deal.”

‘The potential fight in December’ is a Deontay Wilder vs. Anthony Joshua boxing match in Saudi Arabia. According to reports, it would be on the same card as a Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight. Purses are expected to be in the mid-eight figure area, so that obviously gets priority over a Ngannou fight.

“December is his business, he might have some business in December,” Ngannou said. “That’s the reason why we stopped talking. But after that, we will continue, hopefully, we will continue to have that conversation. Whatever is possible. We are in very advanced discussions with Deontay and his team.”

So the good news is it sounds like Francis Ngannou has a willing boxing opponent. The bad news is he’s still second in line, and a bout may not come together until 2024.