PFL CEO Peter Murray expects Francis Ngannou to return to MMA in 2024.
Ngannou (0-1) faces two-time world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua (27-3) in a 10-round bout March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The former UFC heavyweight champion will look to mirror the success he had when he fell just short against WBC champion Tyson Fury. Regardless of the outcome against Joshua, Murray says MMA is next for Ngannou.
“Yeah, he’s got a big fight coming up now with AJ right on the heels of shocking the world and Tyson Fury, so we’re really proud and happy for Francis, but he will be returning to the cage later this year after the Joshua fight,” Murray said in an interview with John Morgan. “So we’re putting that fight together, and Francis is going to take on both sports, and it’s just been incredible to watch his journey and more to come there. In addition, not only will Francis return to the PFL stage in our super fights division, but we’ll be making announcements in March on PFL Africa because it is on for 2025 with Francis at the helm as our chairman.
“So that league, which will be our third official PFL international regional league, PFL Africa, that will launch in 2025 with competition and athletes from different countries across the continent competing to become champion of PFL Africa, so we’re very excited about it. Francis is very excited about it, and just based on Francis, all the adversity that he had to overcome as a professional athlete to leave the continent to become a professional fighter and a champion, now Francis and the PFL will support athletes on the continent. They will not have to leave the continent to compete as professionals, and they’ll have a pathway to become global champions, so we’re really excited about launching that league.”
Despite Ngannou not committing to MMA in 2024, Murray is confident that no offer will lure him away from the cage this year.
“No, Francis is committed to the PFL,” Murray said. “He’s committed to continuing competing in MMA, so we don’t expect that.”
