Francis Ngannou is riding high on a wave of success after coming extremely close to defeating Tyson Fury in his professional boxing debut last weekend.
'The Predator' sent shockwaves through the combat sports community, shattering the expectations of many and earning the adoration of fans. Following his recent performance against the WBC heavyweight champion Ngannou is currently weighing his options and is poised to take a decisive step forward soon.
Among the many names in consideration, Deontay Wilder emerged as a prime contender for his next challenge.
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PFL chairman Donn Davis has also revealed his intentions to arrange a showdown between Ngannou and 'The Bronze Bomber' in a unique mixed-rules bout potentially set to take place inside the SmartCage.
Dewey Cooper, Francis Ngannou's seasoned coach, recently appeared in an interview with MMA analyst Luke Thomas and shared his perspective on his pupil's next move:
"He said he's gonna do both [MMA and boxing] so we'll wait. Any of them [heavyweight boxers], we have a decisive plan and we are ready, but I definitely love an Anthony Joshua fight. know Deontay Wilder that's a good fight also but honestly real champions see no faces."
Cooper was also asked about his opinion on who he believes packs a more powerful punch between Ngannou and Wilder. He remarked:
"Well we don't know Deontay is a different body top type for a heavyweight. A slender dude with crazy a** punch power, but he throws it so reckless so it's either a reward or not. I think Francis Ngannou had a little more control on his power so it's hard to say."
Check out Cooper's comments below (from 15:00):
Michael Bisping expresses his dread for Deontay Wilder's potential MMA fight against Francis Ngannou
The speculations surrounding a prospective MMA showdown between Francis Ngannou and Deontay Wilder have reached new heights in recent days. However, Michael Bisping holds substantial reservations about the suggested bout and has advised 'The Bronze Bomber' to think twice before venturing into the world of mixed martial arts to take on Ngannou. The UFC Hall-of-Famer's foremost worry centers on 'The Predator's' formidable MMA skills, which he fears could prove too much for Wilder to handle.
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Bisping stated:
"Deontay Wilder, god bless him. He’s an incredibly hard puncher. He’s a gifted athlete. He can hit hard as hell. Okay, but his legs are stick thin! Relevance of that, not the strongest lower posterior chain, okay? The legs are an important part of stopping a takedown. You need strong hips. He better be deadlifting like a motherfu**er, right?"
Check out Bisping's comments below (from 3:12):