Fedor
Emelianenko is interested in boxing Francis
Ngannou, but says no negotiations are underway.
Emelianenko described the matchup as a dream fight, explaining that
injuries prevent him from considering an MMA return. The Russian
veteran remains open to facing the former
Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion in the
boxing ring.
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Fedor Emelianenko says injuries rule out an MMA return but
leaves the door open to boxing Francis Ngannou
Emelianenko (40-7, 1 NC) is widely regarded as one of MMA’s
greatest heavyweights. A dominant champion in
Pride during the 2000s, “The Last Emperor” retired after his
final Bellator
appearance in 2023. The 50-year-old said his interest in facing
Ngannou is strictly hypothetical.
“If we’re talking about being a downright dream, I’d be interested
in fighting Francis Ngannou under boxing rules,” Emelianenko told
Ushatayka. “I couldn’t manage MMA now because I have too many
injuries, but I’d have a go at him in boxing. That’s just me
thinking out loud. I never said we were in negotiations.”
Ngannou (19-3) left the UFC in 2023 after contract negotiations
broke down. He subsequently signed with the
Professional Fighters League, making his only appearance for
the promotion in 2024. Before that bout, the Cameroonian lost
boxing matches to Tyson Fury
and Anthony
Joshua.
Ngannou most recently competed at
Most Valuable Promotions’ inaugural MMA event in May, knocking
out Philipe
Lins in the first round.