Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has not turned his back on the ring. At 39, the “Bronze Bomber” is determined to make a comeback and has set his sights on a worthy opponent: Francis Ngannou, one of the most fearsome powers in MMA, who recently converted to boxing.
Francis Ngannou and Deontay Wilder share a common trait: their ability to knock out their opponents with a single blow. In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Wilder made no secret of his desire to fight the Cameroonian pugilist, who recently made his return to MMA with a thunderous victory. “Even since I’ve been off, there’s been a lot of offers. There are a lot of things in different countries and things like that. Even with Francis (Ngannou), I hope everything goes well for you, I’m sorry for your loss. I can only imagine what it’s like to lose a child. I hope I don’t feel that way. I hope life is good for you, my brother (…) It’s a fight (with Ngannou) that I’m still trying to have and that I want to talk about,” he said before taking the opportunity to send a message of support to the Cameroonian, who is going through a difficult personal period following the tragic loss of his son, Kobe.
Francis Ngannou (38) continues to surprise. Despite his debut in English boxing, notably with a hard-fought bout against Tyson Fury, he is considering new opportunities in both disciplines, whether in MMA or boxing. His first-round knockout against Renan Ferreira for the PFL heavyweight title reminded the world just how dangerous he can be in the ring. In this potential clash, Deontay Wilder is far from underestimating Ngannou, whom he regards as an opponent in his own right. Every fight is competitive,” said Wilder. When you have a man with two hands, two feet and a heart, a will to win, you have a competition. You have a battle to fight. That’s why, when you get in the ring, you respect every man who gets in. You never know what chaos he might bring to the fight,” said the American.
Deontay Wilder, a return under tension
In recent months, Deontay Wilder has faced obstacles both in and out of the ring. With just one win in his last five fights, he is looking to regain his confidence. Despite some painful defeats, notably to Tyson Fury, Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, the champion remains optimistic.
“For me, the best is yet to come. We keep moving forward. We’re still here. We’re getting organised and I’m taking care of a lot of things. I had a lot of outside distractions that I had to get rid of, a lot of burdens that weighed on me. I was looking after a lot of people and it got to the point where I couldn’t do it any more. I’ve got seven children, I can’t look after everyone. Even those closest to me, I was betrayed by so many people. There’s been a domino effect over the last five years. If anyone knows what betrayal is, it’s worse than heartbreak,” he added.
While discussions continue around this poster, Wilder is recovering from two shoulder tears and plans to return once fully recovered. Francis Ngannou and Deontay Wilder: two athletes, two paths, two distinct trajectories. The public is eagerly awaiting the outcome of this explosive clash, which could mark a page in the history of boxing and MMA.
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