Francis Ngannou explains why he would prefer to fight Deontay Wilder over Anthony Joshua

Francis Ngannou's next fight is far more likely to be Deontay Wilder than Anthony Joshua.

'The Predator' is fresh off his boxing debut late last month in Saudi Arabia. For his first boxing match, Ngannou faced Tyson Fury. 'The Gypsy King' entered the matchup as a massive favorite and was expected to face Oleksandr Usyk in December.

However, the former UFC champion made a great account of himself, losing by split decision. Thanks to his awe-inspiring performance, Ngannou was instantly the talk of the boxing world. Both 'AJ' and 'The Bronze Bomber' showed interest in facing him in 2024.

However, Francis Ngannou vs. Deontay Wilder is a far more likely bout to happen. Speaking in a recent interview with The Last Stand Podcast, 'The Predator' was asked about his next move. There, he stated he much preferred a bout with Wilder next.

Explaining why, Ngannou stated that Joshua and Eddie Hearn weren't interested in working with him directly after his UFC exit. He stated:

“My team received a text from Eddie and I think that's all. I met Eddie when I'd just separated with the UFC and I think it wasn't interesting for them because I never heard back until the other day, until somebody else stepped in and took all the risk, and now he's around.”

See his comments below (10:30):

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Francis Ngannou's next fight could be Deontay Wilder in MMA

A lost element in Francis Ngannou vs. Deontay Wilder is the MMA element.

'The Bronze Bomber' recently booked his return for next month for Saudi Arabia. Set for the co-main event of Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin, 'The Bronze Bomber' will face Joseph Parker in a 12-round bout.

Nonetheless, his interest in 'The Predator' still exists. As recently as last week, Wilder has expressed interest in a bout with Ngannou. However, the boxer is willing to face him in not one but two different disciplines.

Speaking in an interview with Blue Blood Sports TV, Deontay Wilder revealed his interest in facing Francis Ngannou in the cage. There, the boxer stated:

“People don’t know me and Francis was supposed to fight first. Certain things came up, all I can say is it’s business. That fight took place, which is cool because Francis has made a name for himself… I’m thinking about doing both, UFC and boxing... I think it’s the competitive side of me, wanting to do both. Get in there, and just show the ability of what I can do. I don’t think there’s nothing cooler than being a champion in both [sports].”

See his comments in the video below (1:10:00)