Francis Ngannou calls out Deontay Wilder after his recent free agency announcement

Francis Ngannou has thrown down the gauntlet to Deontay Wilder following the former WBC heavyweight champion's announcement of free agency. The Cameroonian heavyweight fighter has issued a passionate challenge to his American counterpart, declaring that he's ready and willing to step into the boxing ring with Wilder and prove once and for all who the true king of the heavyweight division is.

Deontay Wilder has announced that he's assuming greater control over his professional boxing career from now on. However, Wilder has now decided to take a more hands-on approach to his future in the sport, and will be taking a greater role in making key decisions regarding his career direction.

'The Bronze Bomber' has expressed a strong desire to combat Francis Ngannou not just in the boxing ring, but also in the mixed martial arts octagon. Despite Ngannou being significantly favored to win an MMA fight, Wilder's audacious dare implies that he's willing to move beyond his comfort zone and take on the former UFC heavyweight champion on his own ground.

'The Predator', who recently became a free agent following his release from the UFC, has expressed a strong desire to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional boxer. In that light, he called out Deontay Wilder after the latter announced his free agency. Francis Ngannou tweeted:

"Welcome to the free world Bronze bomber. I hope you're the man of your word. See you soon."

Since becoming a free agent, Francis Ngannou has attracted interest from a multitude of combat sports organizations, including all major MMA promotions, as well as bare-knuckle fighting organization BKFC. On top of that, several boxers have expressed a keen interest in facing off against 'The Predator' in the squared circle, with former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and current WBC heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury among the most prominent names to express their desire for a potential matchup.

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Adesanya stands with Francis Ngannou in his departure from the UFC

Israel Adesanya has voiced his complete support for Francis Ngannou's decision to depart from the UFC. As a former UFC middleweight champion himself, he feels Ngannou made the correct decision by declining to renew his contract with the UFC and instead opting to enter free agency, which involved giving up his heavyweight title.

Francis Ngannou's decision to leave the organization was reportedly driven by the UFC's refusal to comply with certain of his contractual requests.

In the eyes of Israel Adesanya, Francis Ngannou's requests were not unreasonable, and he commended 'The Predator' for taking a stand and prioritizing the well-being of other fighters. According to the former UFC middleweight champion, Ngannou's actions demonstrate a level of courage and selflessness that is rare in combat sports and should be celebrated.

'Izzy' stated:

"Francis made the right call. He’s the one that kicked in the door. We’ve all been behind him. We’ve been saying this for how long? If you guys go back on the tapes, I’ve been saying the same thing. I’m not going to harp on about it, but he’s right. It’s little things. He’s asking for things that should be mandatory."

Watch the entire conversation below: