Francis Ngannou took great pleasure in watching Deontay Wilder’s upset heavyweight defeat to Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia on Saturday. The UFC fighter-turned-boxer seems to believe he can demolish Wilder if he can secure a meeting with the self-proclaimed “Doctor Sleep.”
Wilder lost to Parker by unanimous decision via scores of 118-111, 118-110 and 120-108 despite entering as the overwhelming favorite. He’d promised to knock out his New Zealand-born opponent but failed to follow through.
“Licking my lips after watching this fight,” wrote a giddy Ngannou, who on Oct. 28 took then-WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury to his limits in his boxing debut. Ngannou lost to Fury in a controversial split-decision, with some fans believing he deserved the victory. Even Fury admitted he was caught off guard by Ngannou – and the same could happen to Wilder if they clash.
“That definitely wasn’t in the script,” Fury said of Ngannou afterward. “He’s a lot better of a boxer than we thought he’d be. He’s a very awkward man, and he’s a good puncher, and I respect him a lot. He was very awkward, he wasn’t coming forward; he was waiting for me to throw my punches then looking to counter.
Fury added: “It’s a part of boxing [the knockdown], I got caught behind the head again. I got up and it was alright; I got back to my boxing. I don’t know how close it was, but I got the win and that’s what it is. I’ve been out the ring a long time again. You can see it in here – ring rust, everything. No excuses, though. He’s cut me across the eye there. It was a good, rough fight. Perfect.”
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Ngannou believes he will only grow from the experience with Fury. And Wilder, who has suffered two career defeats to Fury, could be the perfect next target. Wilder has not offered an immediate perspective on whether he would be up for that challenge as he tries to piece his career back together.
“I’m sure I’m gonna get better,” Ngannou said following the Fury fight. “This was my first boxing match, great experience. I’m not gonna give any excuse, I know I came up short, but I’m gonna come back with a little more experience of the game.”
A confident Ngannou continued: “At first I was a little nervous, now I know I can do this s***. The wolf is in the house. Tonight was to feel the water, and now I know the temperature.
“I came out from a long recovery and surgery, three months and a half. I worked hard and gave my best. I know myself. We’ll gather with my team and what we can do next to improve my game.”
Wilder had intended to fight Anthony Joshua in March 2024, but that course of action may be in doubt following the Parker letdown.