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In the lead-up to Francis Ngannou’s crossover boxing bout against Tyson Fury in Riyadh, the Cameroonian-French heavyweight was virtually given no chance of winning. Fury, meanwhile, was at extraordinarily low odds of -1200 to beat Ngannou and spent his time in the build-up confidently predicting that he would knock the former UFC champion out inside six rounds.
However, Ngannou stunned Fury and the watching world on the night by delivering the greatest professional boxing debut in history. Fury might have scraped a win in the end by way of a split decision but Ngannou was seen as the people’s champion after he explosively announced his arrival on the heavyweight boxing scene.
After such a dominant performance and with the 37-year-old’s stock at an all-time high, the question is: who will the next fight for Francis Ngannou be with?
Who Will Francis Ngannou Fight Next?
Tyson Fury
When considering the next fight Francis Ngannou might be involved in, there is only one name to start with – Tyson Fury. After running the Englishman so close in Saudi Arabia which included sending him to the canvas in the third round – only the seventh time this has happened to Fury in his career – it’s safe to say that the Ngannou has unfinished business with the current WBC heavyweight champion.
The logistics, however, aren’t straightforward as Fury is first set to fight Oleksandr Usyk on the 17th of February 2024.
The loser of this unification heavyweight bout is likely to trigger the contractual rematch clause which will essentially mean that Ngannou’s hopes of a showdown with Fury in the middle of 2024 will be put on hold.
Ngannou has previously stated that he would prefer to wait for a rematch instead of entertaining other options but with Fury likely to be tied up with Usyk for the foreseeable future, the Cameroonian-French fighter might be forced to assess his options in the interim.
Anthony Joshua
Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn didn’t waste time in getting in touch with Ngannou’s representatives following his stunning display against Fury. Hearn had been trying to finalize Joshua’s schedule over 2024 and saw Ngannou as a legitimate option after his performance against Fury.
Joshua however, has been less convinced about taking part in a crossover bout with Ngannou as he still has ambitions of winning the world heavyweight championship.
The problem for the Watford-born fighter is that he is, as Fury’s promoter Frank Warren puts it, “at the back of a very long line” when it comes to having a shot at the world championship belts after back-to-back losses against Usyk. Put differently, Joshua may have to look at alternative routes back to the world heavyweight championship – a notion that Hearn is trying to impress on his client.
In Hearn’s opinion, beating the man who many feel actually beat Fury on the 28th of October 2023 would be the biggest statement Joshua could make at this stage of his career. As far as Francis Ngannou’s next fight possibilities go, this is one to watch closely.
Deontay Wilder
Deontay Wilder’s camp were also watching on closely as Ngannou impressively held his own against Fury in Riyadh. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long after Michael Buffer announced Fury as the split-decision winner for Ngannou’s and Wilder’s teams to begin looking at a future clash in 2024.
You can understand the eagerness from both sides to make this fight a reality as a Wilder v Ngannou headline act sells itself owing to the knockout ability both men possess. While this would be a significant money-spinner that would generate global interest, it would also be one of the rare occasions that Wilder was in a ring with someone who had superior punching power to him.
As for what the official Francis Ngannou odds would be on a knockout against the Alabamian, only time will tell as these two edge closer to a fight that will shake the ground on which the world of boxing stands.
If you do intend to bet on Francis Ngannou next fight or any boxing matches then please take time to read through BetVictor’s safer gambling page which provides a list of helpful measures designed to help you stay in control when betting.
Jon Jones
There would have been a time when Jon Jones was the mandatory challenger as far as the next fight Francis Ngannou was set to be involved in. However, following Ngannou’s acrimonious UFC departure and Jones subsequently signing an eight-fight deal with Dana White’s company in 2023, it seems wholly unlikely that this fight will happen anytime soon.
Overall, it would involve a significant thawing in relations between both parties while also relying on the Professional Fighters League – the company Ngannou now fights for, to be open to the idea of a crossover bout between these two MMA heavyweights.
Out of all the possible Francis Ngannou next fight opponents, this one looks the least likely.
Why is Francis Ngannou So Popular?
Ngannou’s worldwide popularity is based on two factors. The first is that the 37-year-old is revered for his achievements in the Octagon and recently, also the boxing ring. Indeed, Ngannou has always fought with uncompromising brutality which has earned him a reputation as one of the fiercest heavyweights in history.
The second reason for Ngannou’s popularity is perhaps more significant as he is seen as a symbol of hope when it comes to overcoming obstacles in order to achieve a dream. In short, the heavyweight fighter didn’t always have a net worth of $5 million.
On the contrary, the stark truth is that early life was far from easy for Ngannou who found himself working in a sand quarry in Cameroon from an early age.
Determined to change his life, Ngannou ventured over 3,000 miles across North Africa in search of Europe at the age of 26. Against all odds and just eight years after his flimsy raft bobbled perilously in the Strait of Gibraltar, Ngannou would win the world UFC heavyweight championship in Las Vegas.
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