Francis Ngannou has said there is a “90 per cent” chance that he will be Tyson Fury’s next opponent.
Fury retained the WBC heavyweight title on Saturday night as he knocked out Dillian Whyte at London’s Wembley Stadium, where UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou entered the ring after the fight to speak to Fury.
The unbeaten Briton and Ngannou have traded words on social media in recent months, with the Cameroonian involved in a contract dispute with the UFC and keen on returning to his boxing roots.
Although Fury, 33, said before and after his knockout of Whyte that he would retire from boxing, he also motioned to Ngannou and said: “This is going to be one very special fight. It’ll be something never before seen in the history of our sport.”
Ngannou also expressed his desire to make the fight, and now the 35-year-old has told The MMA Hour: “We both want this fight, that’s clear, and we respect each other.
“Probably next year it will happen. I think it’s going to happen, it’s just a matter of our promotions, but we will sort this out at some point.
“Make it a hybrid fight, something that makes it a little uncomfortable for him as a boxer – ideas like MMA gloves or fighting barefoot. I don’t know, we still have to figure this out.
“I would say there’s a 70 per cent chance my next opponent is Tyson Fury. On his side, I would say 90 per cent against me.”
Fury has a professional boxing record of 32-0-1 (23 knockouts), while Ngannou’s mixed martial arts record is 17-3.
Twelve of Ngannou’s wins have come via knockout, with eight of those finishes having been achieved in the first round.
