After ring return: Deontay Wilder could readily demand Francis Ngannou showdown after ring return
Deontay Wilder has been tipped to call out Francis Ngannou on his boxing return amid talks of a potential showdown between the pair
The ‘Bronze Bomber’ is set to take on Tyrrell Herndon on June 27 – over a year on from his last fight. Wilder, 39, has not fought since suffering a shock knockout defeat to Zhilei Zhang in Saudi Arabia last June. Prior to the loss, the former heavyweight world champion was beaten by Joseph Parker.
Wilder’s last win came against Robert Helenius nearly three years ago. With the American’s career at a bit of a crossroads, he will be desperate to get back in the win column later this month against Herndon – who holds a professional record of 24-5. The ‘Bronze Bomber’ will hope that a win will earn him a big name in the near future.
He is still regarded as one of the hardest-hitting punchers in the heavyweight division and is capable of destroying anyone with one punch. Over the last few years, Wilder has been tipped to take on Ngannou in the ring. The latter’s trainer – Dewey Cooper – believes Wilder will call Ngannou for a fight with a win over Herndon.
In an interview with Slingo, Cooper said: “We know the numbers. It’s a whole different ball game [in boxing compared to MMA]. So yeah, there’s definitely opportunities there. And he’s blessed to have him. Francis was meant to be a boxer this whole time, so it’s great to see someone finally get a chance to really go with their true passion. And that’s boxing.
“Deontay Wilder is the fight we always wanted, so I think it’s a spectacular, intriguing matchup. We know about his power that goes without saying, we know about Francis’s power. We definitely know about Deontay Wilder’s power. That’s a spectacular match-up. And I think it’s the fight that we can definitely win. Don’t be surprised if, after Deontay fights, he’s yelling Francis’ name because he wants that fight as well.”
Back in April, Wilder made some interesting remarks about a potential fight with the former UFC heavyweight champion – hinting at a second fight already booked for December after his upcoming fight with Herndon. In an interview on the ARIEL X ADE show, Wilder raised eyebrows when asked if the Ngannou fight is in play for later in 2025.
“Me and Francis, that fight, it still comes up. It came up two more times not too long ago,” Wilder said of Ngannou. “We’re just trying to figure out how we want the segment to go with me and Ngannou. I’m definitely interested, he is as well. I guess it’s just a matter of… a time. It’s looking to be done, but it’s just all of the details and stuff like that. I’m looking forward to that one, so stay tuned.”
