Deontay Wilder isn’t retiring–at least not right now.
The former WBC heavyweight champion told TMZ Sports he is recovering from an arm injury and is interested in “getting in on” talks to face Francis Ngannou in a boxing match.
Here is a look at the clip TMZ Sports posted speaking with Wilder.
Ngannou has said that he wants to fight Wilder, and the Bronze Bomber is seemingly willing and able to accept the challenge. However, he was also very respectful and empathetic toward Ngannou because of the tragic loss of his son.
“A lot of things in different countries and stuff like that,” Wilder said. “Even with Francis, hope everything is going good for you, I’m sorry for your loss. I can only imagine what it’s like to lose a child. I never hope to even feel that feeling of it. I hope life is going beautiful for you, bro. That’s a conversation I’m still looking to get in there in the mix and talk about.”
While many believe Wilder should call it a career after four losses in his last five fights (four defeats by TKO), if he continues, a battle against Ngannou makes the most sense for multiple reasons.
Wilder-Ngannou is a fight that should favor the man with 48 professional boxing matches. However, there is legitimate doubt because of how well Ngannou acquitted himself against Tyson Fury in October 2023 and the decline we’ve seen from Wilder.
Even with the shade of doubt, Ngannou is the perfect opponent for him at this stage of his career. Stylistically, Ngannou won’t be elusive, and Wilder won’t have to chase him.
Ngannou will likely be there to be hit, and that’s right up Wilder’s alley. While Ngannou has punching power, his punches aren’t incredibly quick–at least not as a boxer. Without the threat of a takedown, Ngannou’s edge in bulk won’t be as big of a factor.
Also, Ngannou’s defense looked flawed against Anthony Joshua. It lead to a vicious knockout in the second round of their fight in March. Wilder should have opportunities to land the shots that made him one of the most feared fighters of his generation.
More than anything, a fight with Ngannou makes sense for Wilder because it’s a bout that will allow him to earn a massive payday without taking on an opponent who is a top contender or who has an advantage in the area of boxing acumen.
Both fighters are heavyweights with a big punch, so some level of risk is involved. However, this fight would deliver the lowest potential risk for the highest reward for Wilder. If Wilder wins, his victory will gain him some needed positive vibes and could lead to another money fight.
Wilder has another potentially colossal payday, and that would come if he fought Joshua.
With Joshua suffering a KO loss to Daniel Dubois in his last fight, the matchup seems plausible again. Despite both men coming off KO losses, they could still pack an arena in the United Kingdom or the United States.
However, it remains to be seen if Matchroom would want to put Joshua in the ring with someone as dangerous as Wilder. If Joshua lost to Wilder at this stage, his career might end.
Vice versa for Wilder. Getting knocked out by Joshua would be devastating, and it seems a bit more likely than it would be with Ngannou. Wilder turned 39 last month. If he’s still fighting, the matchups should be calculated risks, and my math says facing Ngannou is the more intelligent decision.
