Ever since it was announced that Francis Ngannou was leaving the UFC there has been one name that has always been in the mix for potential dream fights - Tyson Fury.
With the former UFC heavyweight champion now free to go slog it out with some of the best ‘big men’ in combat sports, fans have been clamouring for a bout with the Englishman.
Dana White revealed the company and their champion couldn’t agree to a new deal and as such Ngannou was a free agent.
The Cameroon fighter revealed on The MMA Hour that he’d be keen to aim for July date for his return to combat sports.
He said: “Hopefully somewhere, the latest is July [for when I’d return], I’d say so.
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“Hopefully, at least twice this year. My gut says boxing, a pro boxing [bout]. I don’t know where, I’m going to find out. I’m working on it right now.”
Ngannou said he was looking at big-money fights with the likes of Anthony Joshua or the Gypsy King himself.
And it seems the current WBC Heavyweight Champion is more than happy to oblige.
Fury recently spoke to Radio Rahim where he put out the challenge, with a few interesting stipulations.
He said, via MMA Fighting: “Francis Ngannou, I know you’re out of contract with the UFC.
“You want to earn some big boy money? Come see ‘The Gypsy King’ and let’s do a big, big fight for the baddest MF on the planet.”
But Fury wasn’t just after any regular boxing bout.
He added: “Let’s kick it up spicy, in a cage, four-ounce gloves under Queensbury [rules] and let’s have a badass referee like ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson. Did I just sell that to the world?”
Iron Mike officiating these two behemoths going at it - inject it into our veins.
The undefeated boxer went on to say that if the contract couldn’t get sorted with Oleksandr Usyk he’ll be turning his attention to the MMA star.
He said: “If the contract doesn’t get signed with Usyk next for the fight of the century in boxing then we’ll do the Ngannou fight.”
“Whether it’s going to be in Las Vegas or Wembley, who will know — we will know quite soon I think.
“Because if these fellas don’t start coming up and signing the contract for the fight of the century then we’re moving on to greener pastures.”
The two men have been teasing a clash since 2021 when Ngannou entered the ring following Fury’s knockout win over Dillian Whyte last April.
Topics: Francis Ngannou, UFC, MMA, Tyson Fury, Boxing
Jayden Collins