When will Francis Ngannou fight again?
That is a question with an easy answer.
Ngannou is scheduled to fight Anthony Joshua on March 8 in Saudi Arabia. His last fight, which was against Tyson Fury, took place on October 28.
That is a rather active schedule. Unless, that is, you want to see Ngannou compete in the cage. And that is exactly what all the heavy hitters want at PFL, where Ngannou has yet to compete after signing an unprecedented deal last May.
Last week, the PFL broke the news that Ngannou’s first fight with the promotion–and first MMA fight since January of 2022–would be against the winner of Ryan Bader-Renan Ferreira from the PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions pay-per-view. That ended in an incredible knockout victory for Ferreria, who landed a crisp right in the opening moments that effectively ended Bader’s night.
The sight of Ferreira standing tall was quite impressive. The 6’8” heavyweight had his hand raised by Mike Tyson, then waited for his standoff in the cage against Ngannou. It was a mere formality, as the images and video from that moment would be used to promote their fight over the coming months.
Except it never happened.
Ngannou exited stage left, showing no interest in a photo-op with Ferreira. Earlier on in the card, UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones–who was a guest of the KSA at the event–joined the commentary team in-between fights, offering a very diplomatic take on all questions asked. Yet Ngannou never followed suit, despite the fact he is part of PFL’s Global Advisory Board–and an equity owner and Chairman of the coming PFL Africa regional league–and his debut fight for the promotion was announced only days prior.
There are whispers circulating that Ngannou is not planning on fighting any time soon for the PFL. His actions on Saturday only amplified that. So much uncertainty would have been answered if he donned a headset during the pay-per-view. But maybe he truly does not know. In Ngannou’s defense, his future revolves entirely around the upcoming fight against Joshua.
If Ngannou gets waxed by Joshua, then that expedites his return to the MMA. But if he puts forth a competitive showing, even in defeat, then there are plenty more opportunities for him in boxing. And if he wins, then Ngannou may never return to MMA.
At this stage, boxing is less damaging for Ngannou, who is 37. Damage to Ngannou’s knees would be mitigated in boxing, and wrestling is no longer a concern.
A victory against Joshua would put Ngannou in the thick of world title contention. That pursuit could forever define him, as his legend would be even more undeniable if he were a champion in both MMA and boxing.
Until March 8, we wait.
As the whispers continue to grow louder, the MMA world will be listening closely when Ngannou does speak after his fight against Joshua.
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