Deontay Wilder Sends a Strong Message: 'I'll Do One Fight in MMA' for This Superfight

In combat sports, few things generate as much hype as a crossover superfight. Whether it’s the intrigue of matching different rule sets or simply the personalities involved, these events bring global buzz and massive paydays. Still, they’re notoriously difficult to pull off—negotiations stall, egos clash, and promotional lines get blurred. But when they do happen, they deliver. Now, another high-voltage matchup appears to be inching closer, and a heavyweight knockout artist just made his position clear: he’s ready for one fight in the ring—and one in the cage. Fans are eager to see how this unfolds.

In a recent sit-down with Bloody Elbow’s James Sweetnam, Deontay Wilder revealed ongoing talks about a two-fight series with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou that would span both boxing and MMA. ‘Yeah, I love to fight Ngannou. Um, trying to—you know, it’s a lot of things going on. I think that fight is still stirring up. We’re still talking about it,’ he said. Wilder went on to say, ‘Certain things have been laid out... hey, we do one fight boxing and one fight MMA... fair is fair.’