Deontay Wilder reveals his one stipulation for fighting former UFC champ Francis Ngannou in the PFL
Heavyweight knockout artist Deontay Wilder is more than willing to throw hands with Francis Ngannou, but only under one condition.
Currently, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ is gearing up for a return to the squared circle on December 23 as part of the Day of Reckoning doubleheader with Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin. Wilder will face Joseph Parker at the event, but as of late, all anyone can seem to talk about his rumored clash with the former UFC heavyweight champion.
In a recent interview with Lucky Block, Deontay Wilder confirmed that he is open to fighting ‘The Predator’ inside the PFL Smart Cage, but he has a few questions concerning the proposed “mixed rules” matchup.
“I’d have to hear more about these ‘mixed rules’. I wouldn’t mind fighting in the octagon and stuff, but I’d have to understand how the mixed rules are distributed,” Wilder said. “What do they mean ‘mixed rules’? What can and can’t we do?
“But I know for sure – one fight in boxing and then one MMA fight – the rules are what they are. We’ve got rules in boxing, we’ve got rules in mixed martial arts. But when you’re mixing both together now you have to come up with your own rules and it can get kind of frustrating or confusing. But it could be something that’s new and I’m all about change. I’d need to hear it, both parties would need to hear it, and go from there” (h/t DAZN).
Deontay Wilder Appears to be the frontrunner for Francis Ngannou’s Next Opponent
Francis Ngannou made his professional boxing debut in October, going toe-to-toe with reigning WBC heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Going into the contest, Ngannou was given little chance by fight fans to make it out alive, let alone go the distance. However, the Cameroonian shocked the world when, not only did he go a full 12 rounds with perhaps the greatest boxer on the planet, but he even planted ‘The Gypsy King’ on the canvas in the third round.
The performance has since landed Ngannou in the No. 10 spot on the WBC heavyweight rankings and has everyone in the division chomping at the bit to test out the MMA star’s skills in the sweet science.
Though no official announcements have been made, Deontay Wilder appears to be the frontrunner when it comes to Francis Ngannou’s next opponent, whether it be in the cage or the ring.
