Francis Ngannou's demands from UFC are already being met by PFL, pay can also be matched, says Dan Hardy
Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou might soon find a new home with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), according to a recent interview with Dan Hardy.
Ngannou parted ways with the UFC earlier this year after the promotion allegedly failed to meet his demands during contract negotiations. Despite rumors of a potential boxing match against Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury, Ngannou has remained a free agent so far.
In an interview with MiddleEasy, the PFL's head of European fighter relations and former UFC contender Dan Hardy revealed that he has a strong feeling that Ngannou will join the PFL soon.
"We'll have Francis Ngannou in no time, coming over and fighting for it. I just feel it in my bones... I just know he's coming,"
Hardy also noted that the PFL can offer everything that Ngannou was looking for from the UFC, and that the PFL is willing to match his purse.
"His demands for the UFC is exactly what the PFL offers, right. So everything that he was asking for from the UFC, it's already on the table over here [at PFL], right? As long as the money is on the table alongside to match the heavyweight king's purse, then I think he'll be happy. And I think we can certainly do that for him."
Check out Hardy speaking of Francis Ngannou's potential move to the PFL in the video below:
With Ngannou's dominant performances in the octagon, his potential move to the PFL could bring a new level of excitement to the league's heavyweight division.
Francis Ngannou is keen on launching his boxing career ahead of signing into a new promotion
Francis Ngannou has expressed a strong desire to pursue his boxing career before joining a new promotion. While he is currently engaged in discussions with promotions such as PFL and ONE Championship, his priority is to make his mark in the boxing ring before returning to MMA.
During a recent conversation with ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto, the Cameroonian fighter revealed his plans to potentially take on either Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury in the near future. Ngannou stressed that his first fight must be in boxing, but he remains open to the idea of returning to MMA once he has accomplished his goals in the boxing world.
"There’s no rush, but I’m having serious conversations with PFL and also with ONE, But there’s no rush. My first fight has to be in boxing, so that’s where my focus is at right now."
Check out Ngannou's interview below: