Deontay Wilder explains why he wants to fight Francis Ngannou in the PFL: “I can come to yours”

Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder is willing to step into the PFL smart cage.

‘The Bronze Bomber’ has been out of action since his knockout win over Robert Helenius last fall. That stoppage victory was massive for the former champion, as it snapped a two-fight losing streak. Wilder had famously suffered two knockout losses at the hands of Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021.

Nonetheless, the heavyweight contender is now eyeing a return. Wilder has been linked to a December clash against Anthony Joshua, but that bout is far from finalized. Furthermore, the former champion has also been linked to a boxing match against Francis Ngannou. ‘The Predator’ left the UFC in January, with hopes of beginning a boxing career. In April, he ended his free agency, signing with the PFL.

However, Deontay Wilder also wants to make a series of fights against Francis Ngannou even. In a recent interview on the PFL’s broadcast, he discussed a potential trip to the cage. There, Wilder admitted that he’s always been intrigued by the potential crossover, which is why he wants it to happen.

Furthermore, he also wants to crossover, because so few boxers do. While many MMA fighters have stepped into the boxing ring, with the exception of James Toney and Claressa Shields, the opposite hasn’t happened. Wilder seemingly wants to change that.

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Photo by Timothy A Clary

“You know I’ve thought about this many times,” Deontay Wilder explained in an interview on the PFL broadcast. “Even with [Francis] Ngannou, we were talking about getting together. I even offered, you always see the MMA guys crossing over. But, you never see the boxers crossing over. So I said I want to make it more interesting for the fans, for the whole comeback family as a whole.”

He continued, “I said, ‘How about you come to my backyard. After that business, I can come to yours and cross over’. I really meant it, things are still up in the air. But I can see myself on this side of the field. People will be impressed with what I can do, and my ability.”

What do you make of these comments? Do you want to see Deontay Wilder vs. Francis Ngannou?