Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is setting his sights on a blockbuster bout with kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven, calling the potential matchup "very compelling."
Speaking to TMZ Sports after his recent first-round knockout of Philipe Lins, the 39-year-old Ngannou revealed that Verhoeven is at the top of his wish list for his next fight.
"Rico is very compelling. Very interesting. But nothing has been done yet, so I'm looking forward to it," Ngannou said.
Interestingly, before Ngannou signed to fight Lins, Verhoeven was nearly his opponent. The Dutch star had been in deep talks with Jake Paul's MVP Promotions. Instead, Verhoeven opted to challenge heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk, a fight in which he more than held his own before a controversial 11th-round stoppage.
Ngannou knows that experience all too well. In October 2023, he faced Tyson Fury in a boxing match and lost by split decision, a result that many fans felt was unjust given Ngannou's performance against one of the greatest heavyweights ever.
As for the rules of a potential Ngannou-Verhoeven clash, Ngannou is open to either boxing or MMA. "Either one. I would like to fight him," he stated.
While no deal is in place, Ngannou made his intentions clear: "That's what I have in mind for right now."