MMA heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko has recently revealed that he is more than interested in stepping into the boxing ring – against none other than the former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou!
Despite announcing his retirement from mixed martial arts (MMA) following a defeat by Ryan Bader in February 2023, “The Last Emperor” doesn’t seem to be quite ready to completely walk away from combat sports as a whole.
In a recent conversation with Red Corner MMA, Emelianenko shared his interest in a boxing match against Ngannou:
I’d like to fight Francis Ngannou. I want to box him.
I can’t do MMA anymore, but I’d like to box him.Yes, I’d like to fight him.
Maybe it’s not overconfidence, but it’d be interesting to fight him.
Fedor vs @Francis_Ngannou in Boxing.
How do you see this one playing out? pic.twitter.com/yTJe7Lffa4
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) February 19, 2024
Francis Ngannou, having departed from the UFC in January 2023, has seen his popularity surge – especially after the boxing performance against Tyson Fury, the WBC heavyweight champion.
Despite a controversial split decision loss, Ngannou’s performance earned him a spot in the WBC’s top 10 heavyweight rankings.
His next challenge is a bout against the world’s No. 1 ranked heavyweight, Anthony Joshua, scheduled for March 9 in Saudi Arabia.
