Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder wants to test who the hardest hitter in combat sports is.
Wilder, 39, has long been linked to a bout with former UFC heavyweight champion (and current member of the PFL roster) Francis Ngannou ever since ‘The Predator’ established himself as a bankable draw in a second sport with a spirited performance against Tyson Fury a year ago.
But while Ngannou’s sophomore effort in the ring against Anthony Joshua earlier this year didn’t quite go as planned, Ngannou has stated that he retains ambitions in the boxing ring — and Wilder is interested.
The American ‘Bronze Bomber’ established himself as one of the most dangerous heavyweight boxers of his generation, opening his career with a 42-0-1 record. However, Wilder’s results have suffered recently as he has been defeated in four of his past five contests with a sole win over Robert Helenius during that time.
But despite a loss in his last outing against Joseph Parker this past June, Wilder says that his team has received numerous offers for his next fight — and one that he finds particularly interesting is the possibility of a fight with Francis Ngannou.
“Even since I’ve been off, there’s been a lot of offers coming in, a lot of different countries. Even with Francis,” Wilder told TMZ, as noed by MiddleEasy.
And when asked if he had a message for ‘The Predator,’ particularly amid the heartbreaking loss of his young son Kobe earlier this year, Wilder made clear that he harbours no ill will towards his possible future opponent.
“What’s up, brother?” Wilder said. “I hope everything is going good for you, man. I’m sorry for your loss. I can only imagine what it’s like to lose a child, man. I never hope to even feel that feeling of it. I hope life is going beautifully for you, bro.”
While Wilder’s experience in the ring dwarfs that of Ngannou’s, the American says that a bout with the colossal Ngannou would be testing.
“Any fight is competitive,” he said. “You’ve got a man who’s got two hands, two feet, and got a heart, that will to win. You’ve got competition, you’ve got a fight on your hands.
“So, that’s why when you get in the ring you respect every man that steps in there because you never know what they may bring to the fight.”
