Heavyweight fighters are known for their explosive power and spectacular knockouts. There are not a lot of fighters who pack quite a punch like Francis Ngannou. The Cameroonian fighter had many ups and downs the last couple of years.
From facing (and nearly beating) Tyson Fury to getting brutally knockout by Anthony Joshua, to losing his infant son Kobe to dedicating his first PFL Heavyweight Championship win against Renan Ferreira to his late son, ‘The Predator’ has had a roller coaster of a ride.
And the latest fight news regarding his Ngannou’s next fight is already causing a massive stir in the world of combat sports. So, who is this GLORY kickboxing legend Ngannou is rumored to face next?
There are rumors about a potential blockbuster matchup between Francis Ngannou and Rico Verhoeven, who is the reigning Glory Kickboxing heavyweight champion. The tentative date of this potential matchup is said to be sometime in the summer of 2025.
It is still not known whether Ngannou vs. Verhoeven will be a Kickboxing matchup or an MMA fight. The former UFC heavyweight champion has gone out of his comfort zone twice, fighting huge names in heavyweight boxing. However, agreeing to a kickboxing bout seems highly unlikely.
Rico Verhoeven, on the other hand, boasts an impressive 65-10 professional kickboxing record, with 21 wins coming via KO/TKO. He has had one MMA fight in his career against Viktor Bogutzki, which he won via KO. He also has a boxing record similar to his MMA record.
Both Ngannou and Verhoeven are elites in their respective sports. However, what levels the playing field is their boxing backgrounds. Hence, a boxing matchup might make the most sense, with each having relatively little experience in the ring.
The current UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, recently demolished Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Afterwards, he seemed genuinely disinterested in defending his belt against the interim champion, Tom Aspinall. And here is where Francis Ngannou comes in.
In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Ngannou made his intentions crystal clear. He revealed that both he and Jon Jones are willing to fight each other. The current PFL champion further believed that he possessed the skills to beat arguably the greatest fighter to ever step foot in the Octagon.
“We both want this fight, for sure. It would be a good fight for us… Besides, I believe that I can beat him.”
However, due to the nature of Francis Ngannou’s exit from the UFC, this fight seems highly unlikely, at least in the UFC. Right now, the matchup remains a dream for fight fans. But in the world of combat sports, never say never!
(Image Credits: Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn)
