Francis Ngannou might be thinking of making a return to the squared ring. The former UFC heavyweight champion made headlines in 2023 when he decided to put on his gloves and venture into the boxing world. But after two straight losses which involved a 2nd round knockout against Anthony Joshua and jumping back into the MMA, everyone thought that his small boxing stint had come to an end.

But it looks like the fighter from Cameroon is not done with the sport just yet and might put on the gloves again. ‘The Predator’ sat down with Sky Sports, where he not only talked about his potential return but also named two possible opponents that he would like to face inside the ring.

Francis Ngannou wants Deontay Wilder

On being asked about the opponents he would like to face upon his return, Ngannou stated, “I don’t know. I don’t have the name now and it depend on the landscape but why not the name like Wilder or a rematch with Fury.” He does not want to be tied up to anything right now and will pick his fight once everything is set in motion. But it looks like the Nevada resident has set his eyes on Deontay Wilder and would love it if that fight could happen. “Wilder is a very good name that I will be interested in,” stated Ngannou, while addressing the scale of the fight between these two giants.

It seems like Wilder is not yet through with boxing after his rocky start, as his comments highlight his want for another shot in the ring. Previously, he also spoke about his desire for a match with Wilder, where he emphasized that boxing is where they have a fair shot: “[I’d like to face him] In pure boxing. Don’t be delusional here, that is where we both stand a chance…” Could this match be a chance at redemption for the 38-year-old? He certainly believes so.

On the other hand, the 0-2 boxer is still not sure about when he will return. The interviewer asked him whether he would like to make his boxing return to Saudi Arabia in February PPV, which is also rumored to have the rematch of Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois. But the former UFC Champion was not sure about it and just said, “I don’t know.” But the fact that he did not deny the possible return to Riyadh is a big statement considering he made his boxing debut in Riyadh only against Tyson Fury.

Ngannou’s boxing debut was a wild affair, and he took the world by storm when he dropped Fury in the 3rd round and forced a split decision. So, for him to seek a rematch with Fury makes sense, as he still has things to prove. While the 6’4 feet giant has hinted at his return to the boxing ring, right now he is focused on his match against Renan Ferreira in just a few days.

Ngannou’s thoughts on his opponent

Ngannou is set to make his MMA return on October 19 PFL: Battle of the Giants and will take on ‘Problema’ in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This will be Cameroonian’s first fight in PFL since leaving UFC. While Ngannou is the heavy favorite in the fight, he claims that ‘Problema’ might be one of his toughest opponents.

“My opinion is that Renan Ferreira is a very tough opponent… I think if they put all the heavyweights in the room and closed the door, I believe Renan Ferreira would be among the guys surviving,” Ngannou said as he declared Ferreira as one of the toughest heavyweight fighters in the world currently.

Well, we will see how tough Ferreira will be against Ngannou on October 19 when these two will face each other. But after the PPV, we might see Francis Ngannou seriously thinking about his return to boxing. What do you think about his possible return? Is the fight against Deontay Wilder the correct move for him? Let us know your thoughts down below.