Deontay Wilder talks about the rematch and the opponent is ideal

Deontay Wilder isn’t retiring – at least not now.

The former WBC heavyweight champion told TMZ Sports he is recovering from an arm injury and is interested in entering talks about a boxing match against Francis Ngannou.

Here’s a look at the clip TMZ Sports posted of Wilder talking.

Ngannou has said he wants to fight Wilder and the Bronze Bomber appears ready and able to accept the challenge. However, he was also very respectful and empathetic towards Ngannou due to the tragic loss of his son.

“A lot of things in different countries and things like that,” Wilder said. “Even with Francis, I hope you are well, I am sorry for your loss. I can only imagine what it’s like to lose a child. I hope never to feel this feeling at all. I hope life is going well for you, brother. That’s a conversation I still want to talk about.”

While many believe Wilder should call time on his career after four losses in his last five fights (four losses by TKO), a fight against Ngannou makes the most sense if he moves on for several reasons.

Wilder-Ngannou is a fight that should benefit the man with 48 professional boxing fights under his belt. However, there are legitimate doubts about how well Ngannou did against Tyson Fury in October 2023 and the decline experienced by Wilder.

Although there are doubts, Ngannou is the perfect opponent for him at this stage of his career. Stylistically, Ngannou won’t be elusive and Wilder won’t have to chase him.

Ngannou will likely be there to get hit, and that’s just the ticket for Wilder. Although Ngannou has punching power, his punches aren’t particularly fast – at least not as a boxer. Without the threat of a takedown, Ngannou’s advantage in the crowd won’t matter as much.

Additionally, Ngannou’s defense against Anthony Joshua seemed flawed. This led to a massive knockout in the second round of their fight in March. Wilder should have the opportunity to land the shots that have made him one of the most feared fighters of his generation.

Above all, a fight with Ngannou makes sense for Wilder because it is a fight that will allow him to earn a huge win without facing an opponent who is a top contender or has an advantage in boxing acumen.

Both fighters are heavyweights with great punching power, so there is some risk. However, this fight would carry the lowest potential risk and highest reward for Wilder. If Wilder wins, his victory will give him the positivity he needs and could lead to another fight for money.

Wilder has another potentially colossal payday, and that would come if he were to fight Joshua.

Since Joshua suffered a knockout defeat against Daniel Dubois in his last fight, the duel seems plausible again. Although both men suffered knockout defeats, they could still fill an arena in the United Kingdom or United States.

However, it remains to be seen whether Matchroom would want to put Joshua in the ring with someone as dangerous as Wilder. If Joshua loses to Wilder at this point, his career could end.

The reverse applies to Wilder. Getting knocked out by Joshua would be devastating and seems slightly more likely than Ngannou. Wilder turned 39 last month. If he’s still fighting, the matchups should come with calculated risks, and my calculation is that facing Ngannou is the smarter decision.