Renowned boxing promoter Eddie Hearn recently said that he heard about a massive fight between former UFC champion Francis Ngannou and two-time world title challenger Derek Chisora. If the contracts are signed, it would become the third possible fight on the Skills Challenge card in December in Saudi Arabia.
‘The Predator’ would be making his debut inside the squared circle against the still dangerous heavy-hitter Chisora on the card rumored to be co-headlined by Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder. Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk would be reported main event. However, if Hearn is to be believed, ‘The Gypsy King’ could price himself out of that fight.
Hearn appeared on The MMA Hour and spoke to Ariel Helwani about the possible bouts that fans can expect by the end of the year. Eddie started off by saying that he spoke to Joshua about fighting ‘The Predator‘. However, the British boxer seemed more focused on his legacy.
“I spoke to Anthony (Joshua) about the fight, and at the stage in his boxing career, he’s chasing greatness,” said Eddie. When asked if there’s a possibility of staging three heavyweight bouts on the December card in Saudi Arabia, the 44-year-old said, “There are rumors for a third fight that night in December, which could be Ngannou against Chisora. I think that’s what they (the Saudis) want.”
Eddie Hearn talks Francis Ngannou.#TheMMAHour pic.twitter.com/RgaeZen2YD
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) June 21, 2023
The British promoter further explained that Francis is currently chasing a massive payday, something he couldn’t reportedly succeed in during his time with the UFC. Hearn added, “I actually quite like that fight because I don’t see Francis being competitive against Fury or AJ but more competitive against Chisora.”
The Matchroom boss continued, “I just feel like what Francis wants to do is land a massive payday. The only difference in the heavyweight world is Francis can really punch. If he lands one on Fury, if he lands one on AJ, or lands one on Chisora, he can win the fight.”
LES DÉBUTS DE FRANCIS NGANNOU EN BOXE ? 🤯
Eddie Hearn a déclaré que les Saoudiens pourrait faire un combat Francis Ngannou contre Derek Chisora
Le combat pourrait être dans la même soirée que les combats Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk et Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder pic.twitter.com/1C1BCkgeie
— MMA TIME (@MMA__TIME) June 21, 2023
As per Eddie, the Saudis must have tried to put together Ngannou vs. Fury at first. “Fury would fight Ngannou. But the only place where you could generate the kind of money that both of those fighters perceive its worth is in the Middle East,” Hearn explained. “And once the Middle East says no, the market is dead for that fight. They must have [said no] because I’m sure it’s been discussed & pitched.”
Francis Ngannou vs. Derek Chisora Stats
We could very well have Francis Ngannou (17-3 MMA) making his boxing debut against Derek Chisora by the year-end. Speculations even suggest it could happen over the course of a 12-round fight.
The former UFC champion would be stepping into the ring with a record of zero wins and losses. Chisora, on the other hand, would enter the ring with a record of 33-13. Out of those victories, 23 have come by way of knockouts.
History has proven that the boxing skills in MMA don’t translate the same when brought inside the squared circle. It’d be fascinating to see how Ngannou would transition to the ring, accompanied by his heavy punches. It could either turn out to be his best night or the worst.
While the rumored night in December would mark Francis’ boxing debut, his highlight-worthy reels cannot be denied. The Cameroon native has KO’ed the whos who in the UFC’s heavyweight division. His resume includes wins over Stipe Miocic, Cain Velasquez, Alistair Overeem, and more. Derek has faced the likes of Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Vitali Klitschko, and many more such revered names.
In terms of stature, Ngannou towers over Chisora with a height advantage of 2 inches. The former UFC fighter stands tall at 6′ 4″ / 193 cm. Derek’s height has been recorded to be 6′ 2″ / 187 cm. In terms of reach, Francis possesses one of 83.1″ / 211 cm. Whereas Derek’s reach stands at 74″ / 188 cm.
Ngannou at 37 years old, is the younger man by 2 years. Both athletes fight out of an orthodox stance. ‘War’ hasn’t fought since last December when he was on the wrong end of a one-sided beatdown by old rival Tyson Fury. The former has beaten 1 of his last 5 opponents.
Ngannou hasn’t fought since January 2022 when he made his first and only title defense against Ciryl Gane. He left the UFC earlier this year and signed a historic deal with the PFL last month.