Francis Ngannou content after Tyson Fury defeat, eyes Jon Jones, Deontay Wilder, and other huge fights next

Francis Ngannou shocked the world with his performance against Tyson Fury in his boxing debut. The former UFC heavyweight champion took the consensus greatest boxer of his generation to a split decision with many believing he should have been given the nod from the judges.

Despite the defeat, ‘The Predator’ saw his stock rise exponentially and he became one of the biggest talking points across all of combat sports. The loss almost felt like a victory for the MMA star and several significant boxers began calling for a fight against the powerhouse.

Speaking out after his fight, Francis Ngannou sat down with NFL veteran Shannon Sharpe to discuss his bout against Tyson Fury.

“Going into that fight, I was very prepared. I know how tough he is. I have seen him almost dead and come back. So, I wasn’t going there to knock him out” Ngannou said of his approach to the Fury clash. “In the tenth round, I feel like I was even more fresh than he was. I was very prepared. I’m going into a sport that I’m the underdog, Massive underdog because that was my first boxing match.”

“Regardless of the decision, I was still happy. I feel very satisfied and yeah, I feel like I’ve taken a lot [more] from them than what they took from me… He hits pretty good. I mean, I hit some good shots, I’m like, ‘F***’.”

When asked by Sharpe whether he’s looking to give up mixed martial arts and pursue a career in boxing full-time, Ngannou insisted he’s open to the thought of doing both.

“Combination. I can do a little bit of both. Let’s see the great fight, you know. I think at this point of my career, I just want a big fight. A big show before I call it out.”

Speaking on who he wants to face next, the Cameroonian called out some of the biggest names competing in combat sports today, starting with a well-deserved rematch against Tyson Fury.

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“Right now, I want a rematch with Tyson. This fight put a lot of confidence in me but also I think he took me a little lightly, so he might come next time very heavy. I want to feel it. I want the rematch… I’m definitely going to be prepared more [and] put more work into it… I was there and I know that I won and I know that even though they gave him the victory, he’s coming now as a challenger. To restore his reputation.”

“Before this Tyson fight, we were talking with him [Deontay Wilder]. He’s also willing to fight me in MMA… We’re thinking of a mixed-rules [fight] because honestly, I think it’s going to be too hard for him if we don’t mix the rules.”

“I always regretted it [not fighting Jon Jones]. Before I left the UFC, I’ve been asking for this fight for almost three years. And guess what? They’ve been telling me that Jon Jones is scared. Jon Jones doesn’t want to fight. Jon Jones doesn’t want this. Jon Jones has enough money… He doesn’t need the risk. Jon Jones is not this, Jon Jones doesn’t want this and that’s how they keep rolling, you know?”