Francis Ngannou Has Talked to Tyson Fury's Camp; UFC Legend Hopeful for Summer Fight

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou said Friday that he has been in contact with heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury's camp about setting up a potential fight.

Speaking to TMZ Sports (beginning at the 2:35 mark), Ngannou discussed the steps that have been taken toward a clash with Fury and when it could possibly happen:

"I've talked to somebody. Some of [Fury's] advisors, but they're working on a fight with [Oleksandr] Usyk in April. So, until then, he will not be free, but I'm trying to see if we can have an agreement before that fight.

"That will also give me some time to prepare for a boxing fight. I have no problem with that timeline. I hope [it] will be sometime in June, July, which is doable. Let's see. I think it's too early to make a conclusion. It's too early to say anything about it, but it's definitely something that we're looking into."

A bout between Ngannou and Fury has been talked about for nearly a year, dating back to when Ngannou joined Fury in the ring after Fury beat Dillian Whyte in London in April 2022.

Ngannou and Fury gave a joint interview and expressed their desire to fight in a hybrid bout that would include both boxing and MMA elements:

The 36-year-old Ngannou fought under the UFC umbrella from 2015 to 2022 and posted a 17-3 record with 12 wins by way of knockout overall during his professional MMA career.

Ngannou beat Stipe Miocic for the UFC heavyweight title in March 2021 and successfully defended it against Cyril Gane in January 2022, but that would prove to be his final fight.

UFC and Ngannou failed to come to terms on a new contract this month, resulting in Ngannou vacating the title and being free to work elsewhere.

Much like Conor McGregor stepping outside UFC to have a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Ngannou would be in line for the highest-profile and highest-paying fight of his combat sports career if he mixes it up with Fury.

The 34-year-old Fury has never lost in 34 career pro boxing fights, going 33-0-1 with 24 knockouts. He is the reigning WBC heavyweight champion and one of the biggest personalities in all of sports.

Fury vs. Usyk is the biggest possible boxing match currently since Usyk is undefeated and holds the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring heavyweight titles, meaning a bout with Fury would crown an undisputed heavyweight champion.

Although Fury vs. Ngannou would be more of a novelty meant to appeal to both boxing and MMA fans, it would likely generate a ton of interest and pay-per-view revenue, making it a worthwhile endeavor for both fighters.