‘That would be something’ – Francis Ngannou’s coach opens door to boxing fight ‘everybody wanted to see in first place’
FRANCIS NGANNOU may still have one more boxing fight in him – and it’s the one “everybody wanted to see in first place.”
Ngannou put his MMA career on hold in 2023 to cross over and pursue his lifelong ambition of boxing.
Last October, he sensationally floored former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, 36, only to lose a controversial decision.
He then returned to the ring to face Anthony Joshua, 35, in March but was knocked out in two rounds.
Ngannou, 38, shared the ring with the British pair after overlooking American Deontay Wilder, 38.
The two humongous hitters were in talks with even a two-fight deal in boxing and MMA touted.
And Ngannou’s striking coach Dewey Cooper is still interested in the bout – after fans demanded it in the past.
Cooper told SunSport: “A fight with Deontay Wilder? That’s the fight everybody wanted to see in the first place.
“Two hard punchers, totally opposite personalties that would be something.
“Whatever Francis Ngannou, whatever His Excellency Turki Alalshikh wants to do with Riyadh Season and boxing, if he’s with it, I’m with it.
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“I have no expectation, whoever it is if it happens again we’re going to work hard and do our best to solidly a final victory for the record book.”
Ngannou now returns to MMA with the Professional Fighters League after walking out on the UFC.
He faces 6ft 8in Brazilian Renan Ferreira, 34, in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Wilder meanwhile is in career crisis following points defeat to Joseph Parker, 32, in December and a brutal KO against Zhilei Zhang, 41, in June.
And Cooper reckons stepping into the ring with Ngannou could bring an official and brutal end to Wilder’s glittering boxing career.
The trainer said: “I’m sure if he were to lose that would be the final nail in the coffin but a fighter knows when it’s time, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physiologically.
“If Deontay Wilder still wants to do it, he definitely should. We’re so judgemental, so biased, when he was knocking everybody out at 40-something and 0 with 40-something knockouts, we all thought he was the best thing since sliced bread.
“A guy has a few bad fights and the whole world turns against him. We learned this with Anthony Joshua, I remember he lost to Oleksandr Usyk everybody said it’s over.
“Then he went on a great run and climbed back to the top of the world.
“So, whatever a fighter wants to do, as long as he’s taking his health into consideration, his family and his wellbeing into consideration.
“So if Deontay Wilder wants to continue fighting, he definitely should.”