Deontay Wilder has offered former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou a ‘two-fight deal’ to square off in boxing and mixed martial arts.
Wilder, a former heavyweight champion in boxing, addressed Ngannou’s recent exit from the UFC, a move with which the Cameroonian relinquished the promotion’s heavyweight title last month.
And while on the topic, the American talked up the chances of taking on his fellow knockout specialist in the ring – and possibly in the cage.
“I love Francis,” Wilder told Trill Boxing Talk. “When I met him at the Apex [UFC facility] in Vegas, we was talking about it during that time, and I’m still interested in that fight.
“I would love to go to Africa for that one. I would love to do that one in Africa.
“I even thought about this idea: Let’s make it a two-fight deal. Everybody always comes to boxing. Let’s do this: You come to my s***, I come to yours. You come to my house, I come to yours. A true tea party.”
Wilder credited UFC president Dana White with the idea of a bout between the boxer and Ngannou, adding: “Me and Dana talked about it, and I told him when he brought the idea to me, ‘The whole scene is: ‘If it makes dollars, it makes sense.’ That’s all they need to know.”
Discussing Ngannou’s UFC exit, Wilder continued: “I know he’s doing his own thing, and I’m proud of him for following his heart.
“[Me vs him] is going to be a Marvel fight, two big Black superheroes, and let’s just be nice. I’d love to do it. I think it would be great.”
On the possibility of facing Ngannou in MMA specifically, Wilder said: “That’s something I thought about even from the first spark of the idea. I want to do something different, since everybody is crossing between combat sports, and the MMA guys they always come to boxing.
“Of course, they ain’t got no stand-up game as far as boxing is concerned, so it’s always going to be more favoured on the boxer’s side, because you’re in our territory.”
When asked whether he has any experience in any martial-arts disciplines, the American laughed: “I know how to whoop an a**.“I know how to do that. I don’t have mixed martial arts experience, but of course if that happens, I’m going to get training and go from there. I wouldn’t just go in not knowing nothing. If I’m going to do it, I’m really going to put for effort.
“Beause he’s going to be training, coming over where I am [in boxing], why would I not train in what he does? I might like the s***. I might cross over. ‘This is my new home. I’m going to be kicking motherf*****s now.’ For sure, I’ll get one of the best trainers out there.”
Wilder, 37, last fought in October, knocking out Robert Helenius in the first round to bounce back from his second straight stoppage loss to Tyson Fury.
Fury and Wilder fought to a controversial draw in 2018, before the Briton took the WBC heavyweight title from the “Bronze Bomber” in a 2020 rematch. Then, in a trilogy bout in 2021, Fury stopped Wilder again to retain the belt.
Meanwhile, Ngannou has not fought since January 2022. The 36-year-old retained the UFC heavyweight title against then-interim champion and former teammate Ciryl Gane, before undergoing surgery on an injured knee. Ngannou went 12-2 during a seven-year stint in the UFC, winning 10 of those fights by knockout. Each of those stoppages came in the first or second round, with four having been achieved in the very first minute.
Gane is now scheduled to fight former light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones for the vacant heavyweight title in March.
