Francis Ngannou has found himself with options following his split-decision loss to Tyson Fury.
Despite defeat on the night, Ngannou was a moral victor in the sense that he entered the boxing ring as a pro for the first time and knocked down the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world.
With that better-than-expected showing, many would like to see the former UFC Champion stick around and face some of the other top dogs in the division.
Speaking on The Last Stand, Ngannou was asked about his path in boxing and if he wanted only the top heavyweights or would he consider offers from the likes of Derek Chisora.
“I prefer to fight the top fighters. Why did I feel Tyson Fury? Because he was the top of the game. I want the best. I want the big fights. I want a big show. I want everything big. But, at the end of the day, it’s a sport and we do what we have to do.”
Whilst not ruling anything out, there’s little doubt that he would pick the the best bout on the table if he had options. With that in mind, he was asked which fight was bigger – Anthony Joshua or Deontay Wilder. He didn’t hesitate.
“Deontay Wilder.”
The teams of Wilder and Joshua – despite being in negotiations to face each other – have made it clear that they would take the Ngannou fight.
The two former champions look set to appear on the same card this December in Saudi Arabia, but won’t be in the ring at the same time.