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Deontay Wilder Sends Clear Response to Francis Ngannou Fight Callout

Originally posted on KO on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Just a few years ago, Francis Ngannou and Deontay Wilder were arguably considered the two most intimidating men on the planet, at least within the combat sports world.

This was the byproduct of the extraordinary punching power that both men possess. Back when Ngannou was still focusing on MMA and fighting in the UFC, many fans believed that he had the strongest punch in the world. The only man people thought could potentially match up with him was Wilder, who had knocked out essentially every man he had ever fought.

Naturally, this made people want to see Wilder and Ngannou compete, if only to know which of them actually hit harder. However, given that they fought in different sports, this seemed like a mere fantasy matchup.

But everything changed once Ngannou left the UFC in order to pursue boxing. He followed that decision up with an iconic fight against Tyson Fury that ended up a split decision loss for Ngannou that many believed he had won.

Both men are in a different place right now. Wilder has lost four of his last six fights (including two to Fury), while Ngannou hasn't fought in boxing since March 2024, when he was brutally knocked out by Anthony Joshua in the second round.

Deontay Wilder Responds to Francis Ngannou Fight Callout

Ngannou made an appearance on an August 18 episode of The Ariel Helwani Show. And at one point, he was asked whether a fight against Wilder next is something he's currently pursuing.

"Yes. I do," Ngannou said with a smile. Helwani then asked him if there were any talks between the two camps right now, and Ngannou added, "We haven't engaged personally. But [we'll talk to Wilder's team] soon."

Francis Ngannou would like to fight Deontay Wilder.#HelwaniShow pic.twitter.com/XgZ2R1tBx1
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) August 18, 2025

After these comments, all eyes were on Wilder and his team to see whether they were still interested in matching up against Ngannou. And Wilder's manager, Shelly Finkel, spoke on her client's behalf in an August 22 interview with Sky Sports, where she said, "Deontay would be open to that fight [against Ngannou] next year."

Despite both men probably being past their respective primes, seeing Wilder and Ngannou share the ring would still be a spectacle, given that punching power is typically the last thing that goes for an aging heavyweight fighter (Ngannou turns 39 next month, while Wilder turns 40 years old in October).

It sounds like these two giants could be going toe to toe in early 2026. It's surely safe for fans to assume this one would end in a knockout.

This article first appeared on KO on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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