‘Unfinished business’ – Francis Ngannou eyeing up Anthony Joshua rematch before MMA return, says PFL boss
Francis Ngannou has ‘unfinished business’ with Anthony Joshua as he prepares for a boxing return. That’s according to PFL Managing Director James Frewin, who says Ngannou ‘wants to get that one back.’ Ngannou was knocked out by AJ in March 2024, leaving his boxing future in doubtGetty Frewin claims Ngannou ‘has ambitions’ in boxing, with one of them being a rematch against JoshuaMark Robinson/Matchroom ‘The Predator’ was brutally knocked out by Joshua in his last boxing appearance in March 2024, having been floored twice before the winning punch. It was a tough night for the Cameroonian who had displayed so much potential in his boxing debut against Tyson Fury five months prior, knocking down ‘The Gypsy King’ before suffering a narrow split decision defeat. Ngannou has since made a return to his primary sport, MMA, knocking out Renan Ferreira in the first round of his debut with the PFL, who signed the 38-year-old after he fell out with the UFC. PFL founder Donn Davis has made it clear that Ngannou will more than likely go back into boxing before another MMA fight in his promotion. And Frewin agreed, as he told talkSPORT.com that their biggest star wants to get another crack at ‘AJ.’ “Look, I think Francis is an incredible athlete,” he said. “He’s a linear heavyweight champion of the world. “He has ambitions in boxing and I think he has unfinished business in boxing tied to his Anthony Joshua loss. “I think he wants to get that one back and that journey he’s on. Donn is in conversations with Francis. “He’s an integral part of PFL Africa. We’re launching that in July – he’s the chairman – and we’re incredibly excited about what’s to come there too.” Ngannou signed a deal in early 2023 as a minority equity owner and chairman of the newly created PFL Africa. Joshua could tee up a blockbuster fight with Fury by fighting Ngannou again Ngannou is arguably the greatest heavyweight MMA fighter of all timeGetty However, it’s clear to see the former UFC heavyweight champion is itching to get back into the squared circle. After knocking out Ngannou, Joshua was shockingly knocked out by Daniel Dubois, who retained his IBF heavyweight world title in the process at Wembley Stadium, and is set for a four-belt shootout with Oleksandr Usyk on July 19. A rematch with Ngannou could offer ‘AJ’ a chance to cement his status once again as a British heavyweight powerhouse. He is rumoured to be waiting on a fight with Fury, who retired from boxing in January after suffering his second consecutive defeat to Usyk. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn would rather see his client get into the ring with Fury next for what could be the greatest British boxing fight of all time. “Tyson’s got a history of teasing a few bits and pieces when boxing’s hot,” he told talkSPORT. Joshua was finished by Dubois in the fifth round at Wembley last yearGETTY Fury retired from boxing after losing his second fight with UsykGetty “He would have watched [Chris] Eubank Jr vs [Conor] Benn on Saturday, and must have just thought to himself, ‘I could be involved in something bigger.’ “It would be even bigger, which is hard to fathom, and then of course [Daniel] Dubois vs Usyk gets announced. “Tyson’s a competitor, he’s still got plenty left in the tank and I expect him to be back. “We just hope that’s for an Anthony Joshua fight, but I guess that’s down to him.” Joshua vs Fury has been talked about for over ten years, and Hearn asserted that Wembley Stadium would be the only suitable venue for the mammoth clash. Fury suffered two unanimous decision defeats against Usyk in Saudi Arabia last year after beating Dillian Whyte, Derek Chisora, and Ngannou following his thrilling trilogy with Deontay Wilder.
Francis Ngannou has ‘unfinished business’ with Anthony Joshua as he prepares for a boxing return.
That’s according to PFL Managing Director James Frewin, who says Ngannou ‘wants to get that one back.’
‘The Predator’ was brutally knocked out by Joshua in his last boxing appearance in March 2024, having been floored twice before the winning punch.
It was a tough night for the Cameroonian who had displayed so much potential in his boxing debut against Tyson Fury five months prior, knocking down ‘The Gypsy King’ before suffering a narrow split decision defeat.
Ngannou has since made a return to his primary sport, MMA, knocking out Renan Ferreira in the first round of his debut with the PFL, who signed the 38-year-old after he fell out with the UFC.
PFL founder Donn Davis has made it clear that Ngannou will more than likely go back into boxing before another MMA fight in his promotion.
And Frewin agreed, as he told talkSPORT.com that their biggest star wants to get another crack at ‘AJ.’
“Look, I think Francis is an incredible athlete,” he said. “He’s a linear heavyweight champion of the world.
“He has ambitions in boxing and I think he has unfinished business in boxing tied to his Anthony Joshua loss.
“I think he wants to get that one back and that journey he’s on. Donn is in conversations with Francis.
“He’s an integral part of PFL Africa. We’re launching that in July – he’s the chairman – and we’re incredibly excited about what’s to come there too.”
Ngannou signed a deal in early 2023 as a minority equity owner and chairman of the newly created PFL Africa.
However, it’s clear to see the former UFC heavyweight champion is itching to get back into the squared circle.
After knocking out Ngannou, Joshua was shockingly knocked out by Daniel Dubois, who retained his IBF heavyweight world title in the process at Wembley Stadium, and is set for a four-belt shootout with Oleksandr Usyk on July 19.
A rematch with Ngannou could offer ‘AJ’ a chance to cement his status once again as a British heavyweight powerhouse.
He is rumoured to be waiting on a fight with Fury, who retired from boxing in January after suffering his second consecutive defeat to Usyk.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn would rather see his client get into the ring with Fury next for what could be the greatest British boxing fight of all time.
“Tyson’s got a history of teasing a few bits and pieces when boxing’s hot,” he told talkSPORT.
“He would have watched [Chris] Eubank Jr vs [Conor] Benn on Saturday, and must have just thought to himself, ‘I could be involved in something bigger.’
“It would be even bigger, which is hard to fathom, and then of course [Daniel] Dubois vs Usyk gets announced.
“Tyson’s a competitor, he’s still got plenty left in the tank and I expect him to be back.
“We just hope that’s for an Anthony Joshua fight, but I guess that’s down to him.”
Joshua vs Fury has been talked about for over ten years, and Hearn asserted that Wembley Stadium would be the only suitable venue for the mammoth clash.
Fury suffered two unanimous decision defeats against Usyk in Saudi Arabia last year after beating Dillian Whyte, Derek Chisora, and Ngannou following his thrilling trilogy with Deontay Wilder.
