Francis Ngannou Reveals 4-Man Hitlist as he Targets Big Boxing Bout

Francis Ngannou has revealed a four-man hit-list of fighters he wants to compete against next time he steps into a boxing ring.

Reiterating his desire to fight a boxing match next, rather than return to the Professional Fighters League MMA SmartCage, Ngannou went through his shortlist — and they are all names familiar to hardcore and casual fight fans alike.

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Francis Ngannou’s Four-Man Hit-List in Boxing

Ngannou targets fighters like Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder

Ngannou named the dominant kickboxer Rico Verhoeven, heavyweight mainstay Derek Chisora, and former long-time champion Wladimir Klitschko as options he’s considering to fight next, while reiterating that his next bout will be in a boxing ring rather than an MMA cage.

He told Sports Book Review that a fight against Verhoeven “could happen, but I don’t know. As I said, I have a few fights left. I focus on very few fights, not on options.”

“There’s a lot of options. Rico [Verhoeven] is an option. Derek Chisora is an option. Wladimir Klitschko could be an option.”

The 38-year-old power-puncher made his name in the UFC, as he rose to the top of the organization in little time, beating the likes of Curtis Blaydes (twice), Alistair Overeem, Cain Velasquez, Stipe Miocic, and Ciryl Gane.

Ngnnou left the market-leading MMA firm in 2023 and booked himself a crossover super-fight against Tyson Fury. In that fight, which took place in Riyadh, Ngannou shook up the combat sports world by flooring Fury with one of his world-famous power punches. Though Fury picked himself up from the canvas to grind out a decision win, Ngannou’s stock rose in defeat, and he was booked once again in a big-money boxing fight as he took on Anthony Joshua, but lost by brutal, second-round knockout.

Ngannou then returned to MMA but bounced back with aplomb as he destroyed Renan Ferreira in a single round, and won the inaugural PFL Super Fights heavyweight championship. Rather than defend that title, though, Ngannou wants to fight a third boxing bout.

And if he can’t lure Verhoeven, Chisora, or Klitschko into the ring, he said he’d turn his attention to the popular American heavyweight Deontay Wilder.

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