“Real Dream”: Fedor Emelianenko Eyes Francis Ngannou Boxing Fight but Rules Out MMA Return

Retiring from MMA and transitioning to boxing has become increasingly popular, with promotions such as MVP and Misfits offering fighters new opportunities outside the cage.

Fedor Emelianenko, widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight fighters in MMA history, could be the latest to explore that route. Now 50 and retired from MMA, the Russian legend says a boxing match against Francis Ngannou interests him.

Fedor Emelianenko wants a boxing match vs. Francis Ngannou

“If we’re talking about a real dream, I’d be interested in fighting Francis Ngannou under boxing rules. I couldn’t manage MMA now because I have too many injuries, but I’d have a go at him in boxing. That’s just me thinking out loud. I never said we were in negotiations,” Fedor Emelianenko said in an interview with Ushatayka.

Francis Ngannou is a prominent name in both MMA and boxing. He famously clashed with the UFC over fighter pay while reigning as the heavyweight champion.

When the two sides failed to reach an agreement, Ngannou left the promotion as the reigning champion to pursue opportunities outside the Octagon.

The Cameroonian subsequently landed high-profile boxing matches against stars such as Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Although he lost both fights, Ngannou reportedly earned more from those boxing bouts than he did throughout his entire UFC career.

Meanwhile, Emelianenko is one of the greatest MMA fighters never to compete in the UFC.

Emelianenko Reveals Why the UFC Deal Never Happened

The Russian star was in negotiations with the promotion several times as Dana White wanted to put together a heavyweight superfight between him and Brock Lesnar.

However, the deal fell through every time. In a recent interview, Emelianenko revealed that the timing had always been wrong on the UFC’s part.

The former heavyweight champion claimed the UFC only offered him a contract when he was already signed with another promotion, while avoiding negotiations whenever he was a free agent.

Furthermore, he revealed that White’s way of doing business never sat well with him, accusing the UFC boss of failing to keep his word.