Is something cooking between Deontay Wilder and Francis Ngannou by way of the two soon to have a fight, or fights? Wilder has caused a stir by telling 78Sports that he is now an “open agent,” as in he is ready and willing to work with deal-brokers other than PBC, for whom Wilder has fought for many years.
Wilder, who says he has “nothing against PBC or Al Haymon,” and that he is “still part of PBC,” says he wants to fight “on all platforms.”
“I’m willing to work with anyone in the business,” the former WBC heavyweight champ said.
Also, Wilder’s planned fight with Andy Ruiz is apparently now off, maybe for good, and we must wait and see what Wilder does next. To this end, Wilder dropped the following teaser:
“We are working on a number of things and I shall return real soon,” he said. “We have been travelling to all the different places, because I want to know what is going on and where it is going to take place. Once we get everything together, we are going to make an announcement and it is going to be amazing.”
And there is some reason to believe the announcement will be a fight with Francis Ngannou. It’s no secret the former UFC heavyweight champ wants to fight a big name in the ring, and Wilder let it be known a while back how he is open to the idea of not one but two fights with Ngannou – one boxing, the other MMA.
Ngannou has responded to Wilder’s “open agent” declaration.
“Welcome to the free world Bronze Bomber. I hope you are a man of your word,” Ngannou wrote in a tweet. “I said only boxing so he can keep his limbs…….like I said we will see if he is a man of his word.”
Don’t be surprised if Wilder and Ngannou do fight next, and maybe once again after that. The crossover fight or fights would make $millions, without a doubt, and all fight fans, no matter what they may say now, would definitely watch. Count me in if Wilder Vs. Ngannou does happen – be it in the ring or in the cage, or in the ring under MMA rules!
With Wilder speaking of how he has been “travelling to all the different places,” it’s logical to assume Deonaty and his team have been looking at possible locations for his next fight, which may be the Ngannou fight. Don’t be surprised if a Wilder-Ngannou fight or fights lands in the Middle East later this year.
