John McCarthy is impressed by Deontay Wilder calling out Francis Ngannou

Former MMA referee John McCarthy has expressed his admiration for boxer Deontay Wilder's call-out to UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

Deontay Wilder has extended a two-fight contract with Francis Ngannou after becoming a free agent. The former WBC Heavyweight Champion believes that boxers frequently challenge MMA fighters in boxing matches, however, he is ready to face Ngannou in both sports.

Appearing on a recent episode of his Weighing In podcast, McCarthy had the following to say about the former WBC Heavyweight Champion calling out Ngannou:

"That's pretty impressive, I kinda like that. That's a tit-for-tat... We all know Denotay Wilder as a boxer. Man, he has got power, he has got a big right hand. But if there is one thing I'm gonna say, he is 6'7", I wanna say, but he is only 220 pounds... Ngannou is gonna be a lot bigger than him because Ngannou used to cut [weight] and Ngannou is a bit man, super strong, not saying Deontay is not. But in MMA, Deontay is gonna have problems. But in boxing, I think Ngannou is gonna have problem. So it goes back and forth both ways, but I would love to see this."

McCarthy recognized that while Deontay Wilder is a powerful boxer, he could encounter obstacles if he faces the larger Francis Ngannou in an MMA context due to Ngannou's substantial size and strength advantage.

Nevertheless, McCarthy conveyed his excitement for the possible showdown between the two fighters. He anticipated that Ngannou would have a tough time against Wilder in a boxing match, whereas Wilder could struggle in an MMA fight against Ngannou.

Overall, John McCarthy's comments highlight the excitement and intrigue surrounding a potential clash between the two powerhouses from different combat sports. Fans will have to wait and see if the fight ever comes to fruition.

Check out John McCarthy's comments in the video below [1:02:46 mark]:

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John McCarthy breaks down Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili

UFC bantamweight Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili are set to headline UFC Vegas 71, which is scheduled to take place on March 11 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels.

Appearing in another episode of his popular podcast show, John McCarthy weighed in on the upcoming bout. Speaking of the matchup, the Bellator commentator had this to say:

"Merab against Yan is just a fantastic matchup. Definite contrasting styles and it's a matter of can Merab get Yan to the ground, use his superior grappling - cause he is the better grappler - and he's got a pace. He brings the pressure throughout the fight."

Check out John McCarthy's comments in the episode below [17:51 mark]: