You might want to bet on Francis Ngannou’s opponent—right now.
Ngannou, a heavyweight from Cameroon, was destroyed by Anthony Joshua in his early March boxing match, and it looks like he will return to action soon.
Following the devastating knockout loss to the much more experienced Joshua, it appears Ngannou could re-enter mixed martial arts as early as July.
Ngannou, who signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) following his UFC departure, is expected to face power puncher Renan Ferreira in his next bout. Because Ngannou never lost his UFC belt, there’s still an argument that he’s the best MMA heavyweight in the world.
At DraftKings Sportsbook, Ngannou was a -535 betting favorite as of March 21, while Ferreira was +400. The odds were available despite no date for the fight.
Francis Ngannou Return Date
PFL co-founder Donn Davis told MMA Fighting on March 20 that the fight could happen this summer, with a date no later than early fall.
That’s extremely relevant information for bettors.
“Will it be as early as July? Maybe,” Davis said. “Will it be as late as September? No later. But you’ll see Francis now in 2024, in PFL, against ‘La Problemo’ [Renan Ferreira] in what I believe will be the fight I’m looking forward to the most in the heavyweight division of all of MMA.”
Returning to action so soon after being knocked out cold is risky, but the PFL appears ready to roll the dice. He turns 38 in early September and has few prime years left.
The history of combat sports is littered with fighters who have struggled after returning too soon.
Ferreira, 34, won his last four fights by TKO/KO. Not only is he younger than Ngannou, but he’s also been more active in MMA. And, at six-foot-eight, he’s larger than Ngannou.
Ngannou might look to wrestle, like he did in his win against the UFC’s Ciryl Gane. However, that might not work because Ngannou has been focusing on boxing.
We’re not arguing that Ngannou should be the underdog, but his -535 odds are far too short. This line will surely narrow as the date approaches.
Based on Davis’ comments, we love a bet on the +400 underdog. If the PFL gave Ngannou a year to recover and focus on MMA following his KO loss to Joshua, these odds would make more sense. However, that’s not the case.
Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
