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There is one boxing match that is a possibility for Francis Ngannou — one with British veteran Derek Chisora.
Appearing on The MMA Hour, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn was speaking about his plans for making Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder on the proposed Saudi Arabia mega card in December which would also feature Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury as the headliner.
But as far as Hearn is concerned, he's solely focused on Joshua vs. Wilder as he doesn't feel a deal with Fury will get done.
“The focus for us is Joshua-Wilder, that fight is going to take place in December in Saudi Arabia,” Hearn said (via Boxing Social). “Without signing a contract, through my previous relationships with these people, when they tell me it’s done, it’s done.
“They want to do Fury against Usyk and Joshua against Wilder on the same night, but as we’ve been told we’re doing Joshua-Wilder regardless. Obviously Fury is Fury and those negotiations are on going. I believe Fury is going to fight September or October and won’t fight Usyk in December, that’s what I think.”
Hearn later proceeded to discuss the rumors of Chisora vs. Ngannou as a potential third fight on that card — but nothing more beyond that as far as negotiations were concerned.
“There are rumors for a third fight that night which could be Ngannou against Chisora,” he added. “I actually quite like that fight because I don’t see Francis being competitive against Tyson or AJ, but more competitive against Chisora.”
It's certainly a much more winnable fight for PFL's Ngannou as Chisora — notably promoted by Hearn — is well past his prime at 39 years of age with four losses in his last five.
That said, he is only facing high-level competition with his last defeat being a 10th-round TKO loss to current WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
It remains to be seen if a fight will be booked between the pair, but it's one that Chisora has hinted at in the past.
“That is exactly what I'm working on right now,” Chisora told Give Me Sport in February. “You just let the cat out of the bag. I'm working on that right now. We're working on something right now. But keep it on the down low.”
Perhaps we'll get some news in the coming weeks.
