Former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder is set to return to the ring over a year after his crushing defeat to China’s Zhilei Zhang. It wasn’t just about losing that bout. Wilder had lost four out of his last five fights, and it was clearly taking a toll on the fighter. “This could be the final goodbye, the farewell of Deontay Wilder,” he had said before the fight. Well, he’s defying that this year. 

Scheduled for July 27th at the Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Wilder will face San Antonio’s Tyrrell Anthony Herndon in what could be a pivotal fight for the ‘Bronze Bomber.’ A strong performance might set the stage for a high-profile showdown against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, as Wilder shares his prospects.

Over the past few years, Ngannou and Wilder have been linked to a fight against each other because of their reputation as the hardest hitters in their respective sports. Though the fight has failed to materialize, Ngannou’s trainer, Dewey Cooper, recently hinted that Wilder might be on Ngannou’s radar. While appearing in an interview with Slingo, Cooper said, “Deontay Wilder is the fight we always wanted, so I think it’s a spectacular, intriguing matchup.”

“Don’t be surprised if, after Deontay fights, he’s yelling Francis’ name because he wants that fight as well,” he added. Meanwhile, the 39-year-old boxer appeared in an interview with Ariel Helwani on The Ariel Helwani Show, where he shared details about his future after the Herndon fight. “You can say so,” Wilder said when asked whether he already has his next fight lined up. Even though he didn’t want to reveal who the opponent would be, Wilder suggested that talks are heading in the right direction. 

“We got things going on. I don’t know the opponent yet, it’ll be out of the country,” he continued. “So, it’ll be one of the guys over there in the country that I’m going to.” Wilder even revealed that he is planning on fighting a third time in December as well. However, before any of those fights, Wilder wants to make sure he is feeling right. “I got to make sure I’m right. I got to make sure that how I feel… I got to make sure it’s right…,” he added. He doesn’t want to get carried away with the prospect of future fights. 

“I’ve been there, done that. That s— didn’t work,” he told Helwani. Regardless, Wilder isn’t the only one Francis Ngannou has been eyeing. 

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Deontay Wilder will have to wait—Francis Ngannou may return to the UFC to fight Jon Jones 

The long-awaited fight between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones might not be as impossible as many had thought. While Ngannou’s trainer Cooper doesn’t think ‘The Predator’ would ever return to the UFC, he admitted a possible co-promotional deal between the UFC and PFL to make the mega-fight happen. 

“Francis Ngannou versus Jon Jones, that’s the MMA fight that the world wants to see,” Cooper told Slingo, comparing it to the iconic Mayweather vs. Pacquiao showdown. Even though Ngannou doesn’t have the best relationship with White, Cooper believes business could override past tensions. 

“If the business truly made sense, I think even Dana would [consider it]… it has to be done a certain way.” With both fighters holding legendary status and Tom Aspinall waiting in the wings, this could be the ultimate heavyweight showdown. As Cooper added, “He wants that fight with Jon Jones as bad as anyone wants it.”

Having said that, Deontay Wilder is among the names Francis Ngannou wants to fight next. However, it’s not clear when the fight may happen. Even Wilder doesn’t seem to be confident about who exactly he will face next. Which fight would you love to see the most?