On March 27, Francis Ngannou proved he’s the best heavyweight in the UFC by knocking out Stipe Miocic in the second round. Many are now trying to figure out what is next for the newly-crowned champion. New reports indicate we could see Ngannou vs. Fury taking place sometime this year!
Francis seems open to this matchup. It remains to be seen if Tyson Fury would be willing to step into the ring against the UFC’s scariest knockout artist, though. Now is a great time to talk about what could lead to this bout coming together.
Let’s get into it!
The UFC is Scrambling to Find an Opponent for Francis Ngannou
Francis Ngannou made his UFC debut back in 2015. It became immediately clear to fans that he was a man to watch in the division. He was a devastating striker and earned stoppages against every man he was matched up against.
After six-straight wins in the UFC, Francis was given a shot at the heavyweight championship of the world. The majority of online sports betting sites listed the Cameroonian as the favorite in this bout. Questions over his wrestling game and cardio lingered over the matchup, though.
Stipe Miocic ended up winning this fight via one-sided unanimous decision. Ngannou was then matched up with Derrick Lewis in his next bout and was defeated once again. Some felt “The Predator” was seeing the end of his career in the UFC.
Francis then rattled off four knockout wins and earned another shot at the heavyweight title. This time, he earned a knockout over Miocic to secure the belt. The UFC is now working hard to find the right opponent for their new heavyweight champion.
Jon Jones is calling for more money to move up and face Ngannou. Derrick Lewis, meanwhile, seems content with what the UFC is offering and believes he can earn another win over Francis. It’s still unclear which direction the UFC will go with this situation.
There’s no doubt that the UFC has a star on their hands with Francis Ngannou. New reports indicate he could eventually make a move into the boxing world!
Here’s What Could Lead to Ngannou vs. Fury Taking Place in 2021
There aren’t many fighters quite as scary as Francis Ngannou. He is without a doubt the most devastating striker in the history of the UFC. It now appears that he has significantly improved his grappling skills, as well.
It won’t be easy for any man to take the belt from Ngannou. There are some intriguing very matchups on the horizon for the 34-year-old. Interestingly, he may decide to move into a new sport entirely sometime down the line.
Francis took part in a TMZ interview this week. During the conversation, he was asked about a possible move into the boxing game. It seems there is one man that Ngannou would be interested in facing in the ring.
“Absolutely. I’m open to that. Remember boxing was my primary dream and I still have the fire, the dream inside me and I believe at some point, I’m gonna make a step,” he said. “I don’t want to fight Mike Tyson but I would like to fight another heavyweight boxer such as Tyson Fury.”
The idea of Ngannou vs. Fury is extremely intriguing. Many would be curious to see if Francis Ngannou could possibly find success against the best boxers in the world. Tyson Fury is an elite boxer and may be open to taking on MMA’s hardest hitter.
The UFC won’t be interested in seeing their heavyweight champion move into boxing anytime soon. Now is the perfect time to look at some of the best opponents for Ngannou to face in the Octagon next.
Breaking Down the Best-Possible Opponents for Ngannou
There has always been a certain mystique surrounding the UFC’s heavyweight division. Francis Ngannou seems like he is capable of becoming the next dominant champion in the weight class. With powerful striking and improved takedown defense, it will be extremely difficult for any man to defeat him.
Many are pushing to see Ngannou vs. Jones soon. Jon vacated his light-heavyweight title last year in order to move into the heavyweight division. He is the most logical option to take on Francis in the Octagon next.
Jon is pushing hard for a major pay raise for this bout. He recognizes the danger that Francis Ngannou poses and believes he deserves a salary increase for this matchup. That’s hard to argue against when considering Jon’s resume in the sport.
If the UFC is unable to make the Jones fight happen, Derrick Lewis is a logical option. He is coming off an incredible knockout win over Curtis Blaydes and seems to be in the prime of his career. The fact that he has a win over Ngannou in the past makes this fight even more interesting.
There are several other exciting heavyweight contenders in the division that Ngannou could face off against. Alexander Volkov seems to be a dark horse in the division. Head over to BetOnline today to see the odds on all of these possible matchups!
Do you think we’ll see Ngannou vs. Fury taking place anytime soon? How do you think this bout would play out? Let us know in the comments section below!
Kevin Oldroyd
A longtime sports and gambling enthusiast, Kevin looks to present up-to-date and reliable information for readers. If he’s not writing, he’s probably watching MMA or playing blackjack. …