Wilder won’t face Ngannou in 2025, plans one more fight then 2026

Deontay Wilder’s team has pushed back on talk of an immediate showdown with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, saying the former WBC heavyweight titleholder will not face Ngannou in 2025 even as the Cameroonian continues to publicly pursue the matchup. Wilder, 39, returned to the ring on June 27 in Wichita, Kansas, stopping Tyrrell Herndon in the seventh round, and his camp says he will have another fight before the end of the year and then pursue a marquee opponent in 2026.

Wilder’s longterm adviser and manager, Shelly Finkel, told reporters that a Wilder versus Ngannou bout will not happen this year. Finkel said Wilder plans one more fight in 2025 and that team targets a major matchup in 2026, naming potential opponents such as Anthony Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk. He also said Wilder would be open to meeting Ngannou next year if negotiations align.

Ngannou, who left MMA for a brief run in professional boxing, has repeatedly called for the fight, posting on social media, "Its time to finally settle the debate, Bronze Bomber." The former UFC heavyweight champion holds a reputation for devastating power in mixed martial arts and has sought to prove himself in boxing. He dropped...