MMA fighter Francis Ngannou knows that he can cause serious damage to boxing opponents like Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua, even if the sport is not his realm. According to the Cameroonian-French mixed martial artist and professional boxer, he can survive the boxing ring but said that it would not be the same should the two decide to face him in an MMA cage.
The names of Wilder and Joshua make the loudest buzz when it comes to Ngannou’s next possible boxing bout. Despite losing to Tyson Fury via a split decision in October, “The Predator” garnered an impressive reputation in the boxing industry after giving the opponent a challenging bout. Joshua is one of the fighters to voice his intent to fight the former UFC heavyweight champion, saying he could knock him out if a bout is pushed. However, Ngannou doesn’t think the Briton could match the same fight Fury gave him.
“Even Tyson Fury said the same thing and Tyson Fury is better than Anthony Joshua,” Ngannou said on Club Shay Shay podcast. “What do I care about what people say?
“I’ve been in this game for so long. I’ve seen so much. I’ve heard so much what people intend to do. There’s a difference between wanting to do and be able to do.”
Ngannou, nonetheless, believes Wilder will offer a better fight for him. The American boxer recently expressed interest in exploring the MMA industry and even facing Ngannou “for real.” Ngannou revealed that his team communicated with Wilder before the Tyson fight. In the end, however, Ngannou believes that neither Wilder nor Joshua would be able to defeat him in the MMA cage and exit the boxing ring without any issue.
“The good thing is I’m the one that can go everywhere comfortably,” Ngannou said. “My comfort zone will be the octagon, but I’m going to the ring and putting them in a bad spot in the ring.
“Because I have my territory [in MMA] where they cannot mess with me. If they come, they will need something like some favor, like, ‘I’ll give you this, we’ll take kicks out.’ I have to give him something. But when we step in the ring, they don’t give me anything and I still get them in trouble.”
