Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has been called out for a showdown with a thunderous puncher next.
The 39-year-old from Tuscaloosa, Alabama made his long-awaited return to the ring back in June, stopping fellow countryman Tyrrell Anthony Herndon in the seventh round of their non-title bout at the Charles Koch Arena in Wichita.
Wilder had found himself on a disappointing run of form before facing Herndon, suffering four defeats in his last five outings including a devastating fifth round knockout defeat to China’s Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang in June of 2024.
‘The Bronze Bomber’ had previously held the WBC heavyweight title for half a decade between 2015 and 2020 before he was eventually dethroned by Tyson Fury in their thrilling rematch.
As he prepares to enter what could well be the final chapter of his storied career, Wilder has been targeted for a showdown with the hard-hitting former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.
Posting on social media, Ngannou made his feelings clear about making a showdown with ‘The Bronze Bomber’ next, calling for the American to ‘settle the debate’ on who actually punches the hardest.
“It’s time to finally settle the debate. @bronzebomber.”
After a successful career in MMA, Ngannou made the transition into boxing back in October of 2023, dropping Tyson Fury in the third round of their clash in Riyadh before suffering a split decision defeat to ‘The Gypsy King’ on his debut.
The hard-hitting Cameroonian made his return to the ring five months later, although he would suffer a brutal second round knockout defeat to two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
