‘One of each’ – Francis Ngannou set for two fights in 2025 with Jon Jones and Tyson Fury rematch targeted
Donn Davis believes Francis Ngannou will fight in boxing and MMA in 2025. The PFL founder has said Ngannou will continue to embrace both sports this year, with several blockbuster fights anticipated. Ngannou turned to boxing in his first fight after leaving the UFCAFP Ngannou, 38, made his PFL debut two-and-a-half years after announcing he would be leaving the UFC, due to reported contract issues with its President Dana White. He demolished Brazil’s heavyweight star Renan Ferreira in his first PFL appearance, subsequently becoming the promotion’s inaugural Super Fight heavyweight champion. However, before he returned to MMA, Ngannou ventured into the world of boxing, fighting—and nearly beating—Tyson Fury before getting knocked out by Anthony Joshua. Davis revealed the Cameroonian is expected to fight in the cage again this year, but also in the ring, too. “He’s considering two options; one boxing, one MMA,” Davis told SunSport. “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.” It is likely the PFL will be working closely with Saudi boxing chief Turku Alalshikh to confirm Ngannou’s next opponent in the squared circle. Alalshikh has staged boxing’s biggest fights over the past few years. as part of Saudi Arabia’s entertainment festival Riyadh Season. Ngannou left the UFC as their heavyweight championGetty This includes Tyson Fury’s first bout with Oleksandr Usyk and the pair’s rematch in December. He’s also the man that put Ngannou into the ring with Fury, who beat the MMA legend in controversial fashion having been dropped in round three, and Joshua. Alalshikh has teased at wanting to put on a huge cross-over fight between Ngannou and Jon Jones. Jones is the UFC’s poster boy, on top of being their current heavyweight champion. PFL CEO Peter Murray has also put pressure on White to make Jones vs Ngannou, saying he was ‘supportive of it’ in an interview with talkSPORT MMA in November. Just like Ngannou’s striking coach, Dewey Cooper, Alalshikh mentioned Deontay Wilder as a potential opponent for the 38-year-old too. Alalshikh has hinted at putting on Jones vs NgannouGetty And also believes Wilder would be a suitable opponent toGetty Reports have also suggested that Ngannou would be interested in a rematch with Fury, who lost for the second time to Usyk in December. “I think he’s open to either one [Wilder and Fury],” Davis added. “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.” Wilder seems like the more suitable opponent for ‘The Predator’, considering the latter is coming off two defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang.
Donn Davis believes Francis Ngannou will fight in boxing and MMA in 2025.
The PFL founder has said Ngannou will continue to embrace both sports this year, with several blockbuster fights anticipated.
Ngannou, 38, made his PFL debut two-and-a-half years after announcing he would be leaving the UFC, due to reported contract issues with its President Dana White.
He demolished Brazil’s heavyweight star Renan Ferreira in his first PFL appearance, subsequently becoming the promotion’s inaugural Super Fight heavyweight champion.
However, before he returned to MMA, Ngannou ventured into the world of boxing, fighting—and nearly beating—Tyson Fury before getting knocked out by Anthony Joshua.
Davis revealed the Cameroonian is expected to fight in the cage again this year, but also in the ring, too.
“He’s considering two options; one boxing, one MMA,” Davis told SunSport.
“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.”
It is likely the PFL will be working closely with Saudi boxing chief Turku Alalshikh to confirm Ngannou’s next opponent in the squared circle.
Alalshikh has staged boxing’s biggest fights over the past few years. as part of Saudi Arabia’s entertainment festival Riyadh Season.
This includes Tyson Fury’s first bout with Oleksandr Usyk and the pair’s rematch in December.
He’s also the man that put Ngannou into the ring with Fury, who beat the MMA legend in controversial fashion having been dropped in round three, and Joshua.
Alalshikh has teased at wanting to put on a huge cross-over fight between Ngannou and Jon Jones.
Jones is the UFC’s poster boy, on top of being their current heavyweight champion.
PFL CEO Peter Murray has also put pressure on White to make Jones vs Ngannou, saying he was ‘supportive of it’ in an interview with talkSPORT MMA in November.
Just like Ngannou’s striking coach, Dewey Cooper, Alalshikh mentioned Deontay Wilder as a potential opponent for the 38-year-old too.
Reports have also suggested that Ngannou would be interested in a rematch with Fury, who lost for the second time to Usyk in December.
“I think he’s open to either one [Wilder and Fury],” Davis added. “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.”
Wilder seems like the more suitable opponent for ‘The Predator’, considering the latter is coming off two defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang.
