Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder was issued a challenge, and the native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama has accepted.
When speaking to Ariel Helwani earlier this month, PFL Super Fights heavyweight titleholder Francis Ngannou was clear about his desire to step into the ring with Wilder next. “The Predator” pushed his cause by calling Wilder out directly, in a training clip he posted on social media recently.
His call for a showdown didn’t go unanswered, after “The Bronze Bomber” responded with footage of his own haymakers on the mitts.
“Respect, but I’m ten toes down No fear, no fold, no fake.. Always ready, always solid. Step in the ring and you’ll see what that means.” Wilder replied to Ngannou.
‘The Bronze Bomber’ of old?
Wilder (44-4-1, 43 KOs) is coming off a dominant TKO win over Tyrrell Anthony Herndon in June. The former Olympic bronze medalist’s power proved to be the difference, as he knocked Herndon down twice before stopping him in the seventh round.
Prior to the win, Wilder was in a rough stretch where he lost four of his last five fights. Including back-to-back upset defeats, against Joseph Parker, and Zhilei Zhang. It was his first victory since he knocked out Robert Helenius in the first round in October 2022.
The 39-year-old Wilder reigned as the WBC heavyweight champion from 2015 to 2020. In 10 defenses of the title, he had nine stoppage wins. In February 2020, he was defeated for the WBC title by seventh-round TKO in a rematch against Tyson Fury. It’s been more than five years since he last held a world championship.
Ngannou still seeking first victory in boxing
Following his tenure in the UFC, from 2015 to 2022, Ngannou (0-2) shifted his focus from the octagon to the ring. The former UFC heavyweight champion even brought the legendary Mike Tyson into his training camp to prepare for his professional debut.
In October 2023, Ngannou made his boxing debut, in a 12-round non-title fight against then-WBC and Lineal heavyweight champion Fury. Despite being listed as a heavy underdog, Ngannou gave the previously undefeated Fury all he could handle in a controversial split decision loss.
The native of Batié, Cameroon scored the only knockdown of the fight, after he floored Fury with a counter left hook in the third round. One judge scored the fight 95-94 in favor of Ngannou, while the other two judges had it 96-93, and 95-94, for Fury.
Ngannou challenged former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in March 2024. However he didn’t fare as well this time, in a brutal knockout loss. After Joshua knocked Ngannou down twice, he put him out cold with a straight right hand in the second round.
It remains to be seen if Ngannou will stand across Wilder in the ring next, as Wilder’s manager, Shelly Finkel, previously stated that they will eye the potential clash in 2026.
