Francis Ngannou receives tip from boxing legend that'll help him 'give Deontay Wilder hell' in potential crossover fight
12/12/2024 09:23 AM
Roy Jones Jr. has given Francis Ngannou some advice ahead of his potential return to boxing in 2025.
The former UFC heavyweight impressed everyone when he dropped Tyson Fury in his split decision boxing debut defeat, which set up another mega-money bout with Anthony Joshua.
Francis Ngannou suffered a brutal KO loss at the hands of the former two-time world champion in March.
Since then, 'The Predator' has returned to MMA and beaten Renan Ferreira to become a champion in the PFL – but rumors about a third boxing bout continue to persist.
Roy Jones Jr previews Deontay Wilder vs Francis Ngannou
Former WBC heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder has been touted as Francis Ngannou‘s next opponent.
‘The Bronze Bomber’ is widely regarded as one of the biggest punchers in boxing history and he’s certainly capable of putting Ngannou to sleep just like Joshua did earlier this year.
However, he’s past his peak and riding a two-fight losing streak after falling short against Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang.
Roy Jones Jr. expects him to get back in the win column if he fights Ngannou. However, the former four-weight world champion has offered the MMA star a tip that could help him give Wilder one ‘hell’ of a fight.
“Wilder will beat Ngannou because he knows how to box, he knows what boxing is about," Jones Jr. told Covers.com.
"You saw what Anthony Joshua did to Ngannou, well Wilder is known for having a much more devastating punch than Anthony Joshua.
"If Anthony Joshua hit him like that and did that to him what’s going to happen when Deontay Wilder lands?
"I wouldn’t say it’s a mismatch because if Ngannou can keep the right hand off of him he will give Deontay Wilder hell, you understand me, so I’m not going to call it a mismatch.
"We’ve seen what happens to him when he gets clean with a boxing glove and Wilder, in my humble opinion, is a bigger puncher than Joshua.”
Deontay Wilder advised to stay away from MMA
Deontay Wilder has previously entertained the idea of facing Francis Ngannou in two sports.
The 39-year-old has now been told to stay away from the MMA cage by Roy Jones Jr.
"I don’t think they should do one in the boxing ring, one in the cage,” he added.
"It would be slaughter in the cage. People don’t realize that in boxing we don’t do wrestling we only do boxing and in the MMA world they do boxing, they do wrestling, they do Jiu-Jitsu, all kinds of stuff.
“We only know how to box.