DEONTAY WILDER’S £100million deal to fight Anthony Joshua looks to have been KO’d – but it has opened the door to a shock MMA switch.
The pair of former world heavyweight champions had signed to meet in a March 9 blockbuster in Saudi Arabia.
GettyDeontay Wilder after his December defeat to Joseph Parker[/caption]
GettyWilder had been expected to beat Parker and set up a fight with AJ[/caption]
But it was axed after Wilder suffered a loss to Joseph Parker, 31, just moments before AJ stopped Otto Wallin, 32.
So the American is now left to reconsider his options following defeat – but Joshua was not the only super-fight on the table.
Wilder had held talks with MMA promotion The Professional Fighters League, who last year prised Francis Ngannou away from the UFC.
Discussions were ongoing for the boxing star to meet Ngannou in the middle with a never-before-seen hybrid fight of mixed rules in an MMA cage.
And PFL CEO Peter Murray insisted the loss to Parker does not kill the deal – it in fact only aids it.
Murray told SunSport: “We had a number of conversations and conversations are ongoing.
“I think despite Deontay’s loss, I believe it’s now a great opportunity for Deontay to take on a new challenge in MMA and modified rules to get these two hardest-hitting fighters in a cage together.
“I think that’s a fight that fans would absolutely get up for and for both Francis and Deontay, I think it’s a real conversation.”
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Murray hopes Wilder, 38, could now look for a fresh start altogether with his boxing career facing uncertainty.
He said: “It’s a great opportunity for Deontay to take on a new challenge.
“He’s a great fighter, despite the loss, he’s a great fighter, a great boxer and he has interest to get into a modified rules MMA fight.
“I think this gives everybody the opportunity and flexibility to take it on.”
Ngannou is yet to debut with the PFL having instead crossed over to boxing in October to fight current WBC champ Tyson Fury.
And he astonishingly dropped Fury – only to lose a controversial decsion.
With Joshua, 34, also forced to look elsewhere, Ngannou, 37, has been touted as a potential opponent for that March 9 date.
And Murray confirmed the Cameroonian will fight in both the cage and ring this year – which will mark his anticipated PFL debut.
He said: “It will definitely be in 2024.
“Francis has announcements coming in boxing and in MMA. You’ll be hearing from us in the coming weeks on that.”
Francis Ngannou knocked down Tyson Fury despite losing on pointsGETTY
GettyAnthony Joshua has been linked with fighting Ngannou[/caption]