Francis Ngannou set for boxing return in 2025 with Tyson Fury rematch and Deontay Wilder fight targeted
FRANCIS NGANNOU is in line to fight in boxing and MMA in 2025.
The heavyweight returned to the cage in October – following a three year absence from MMA.
Ngannou had walked out on the UFC in 2021 to pursue boxing while also signing with rivals the Professional Fighters League.
The PFL permitted their star signing to box – setting up two mega-money bouts in Saudi Arabia against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
And PFL founder Donn Davis revealed Ngannou is expected to fight in the ring and cage this year.
Davis told SunSport: “He’s considering two options; one boxing, one MMA.
“I believe he’ll box once in 2025 and he’ll do MMA once in 2025. What order will be determined really by the opponents and the opportunities.
“And we’re thinking about the same way. So I think it’s too early to tell. Is it boxing and then MMA? Or MMA then boxing?
“But he’ll do one of each in 2025.”
Ngannou, 38, made his boxing debut in October 2023 against Fury, 36, who was the WBC champion and unbeaten at the time.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
And Fury was sensationally dropped in the fight before winning a controversial split-decision.
Ngannou then faced Joshua, 35, in March 2024 but was brutally knocked out in two rounds.
It set up his return to MMA which he won against Renan Ferreira, 35, in one dominant round.
Ngannou has continued to keep the door open to a boxing return and was recently linked with a fight against Deontay Wilder.
Wilder, 39, is coming off two losses but is set to return this year after snubbing retirement.
And Davis warned not to rule out Ngannou facing the American or rematching Fury.
He said: “I think he’s open to either one. But if I knew, I wouldn’t breach my confidence on his boxing stuff.
“What I know about Francis is A, he’s very, very smart, and B, he really doesn’t have any fear, as some other fighters do.
“They prefer things over other things, and I know that from when we talked to him about fighters on the MMA side, he’ll say, ‘That guy’s much harder match up for me.’
“That guy stylistically could be difficult for me, but he never says, ‘I prefer versus I prefer.’
“He just thinks this could be easier or harder or more difficult or you’d have to train differently, but he’s open to everything.”