Should Francis Ngannou achieve the unimaginable in their initial encounter later this year, he will find himself lined up for a second boxing match against Tyson Fury.
Since parting ways with the UFC, the former heavyweight champion secured the biggest opportunity of his career by signing up for a 10-round bout against the boxing champion, Fury, scheduled for October 28 in Saudi Arabia. This fight will be officially recorded, with the result adding to the professional records of both fighters.
Securing this bout alone is a monumental achievement for Ngannou, as he mentioned it will bring him a payday surpassing the cumulative earnings from all of his UFC fights combined. Moreover, if he manages to pull off a stunning upset, he could potentially earn an even more substantial payday in the aftermath of the contest.
“Yeah, there’s a potential rematch clause,” Ngannou confirmed Monday on “The MMA Hour” with Ariel Helwani. “I don’t know exactly how to explain that language, but yes, there is a rematch inside it.
“For (if I win), definitely. (If he beats me), that’s what I don’t know. We will see how it goes. That’s why I have to win this fight. I have to do everything to get that rematch.”
Ngannou, 36, said no matter the result against Fury, 34, he will return to MMA competition afterward. He signed a multifight deal with PFL earlier this year with his expected debut in 2024. He said that remains the plan, and if he manages to beat Fury, the result would come after his foray into the PFL cage.
“The second fight would be after the PFL debut, because the PFL fight is somewhere in the beginning of next year,” Ngannou said. “Maybe in February or March of next year. I was talking with Pete Murray about it, and that’s the timeline.”