UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has made no secret of his desire to dabble in the boxing ring, and WBC champion Tyson Fury seems ready and willing to make it happen.
Since winning the UFC heavyweight crown with his knockout of Stipe Miocic in March of last year, Cameroonian powerhouse Ngannou has seemingly grown disgruntled with the MMA promotion.
Ngannou is set to defend his title against French former teammate Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 on January 22, but has said any new deal he finalizes with the UFC moving forward has to give him freedom for a foray into boxing.
“This is going to happen either way – even if or when the UFC and I finalize a new deal, the boxing part has to be into it, because I can't see myself to retire without boxing,” the 35-year-old told TMZ.
“Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder – I would like to test myself to their level.”
Gypsy King Fury has heeded the call, asking his Twitter following: “Who would like to see me fight this beast [under] boxing rules [with] UFC gloves?”
“How about MMA rules with boxing gloves? I can do you that favor,” Ngannou soon shot back.
“You want to come in to my world calling me & Wilder out to a boxing match. What I can guarantee you would be knocked out & also paid your highest purse to be so! So have a think,” replied Fury.
Ngannou signaled he was down for a meeting with the undefeated boxing star, whatever the conditions.
“After I handle business on Jan. 22 I'll fight you under any special rule set you want. In a ring, an octagon or a phone booth,” tweeted The Predator.
The issue of UFC fighters' pay compared to their boxing counterparts has become a hot topic again in recent weeks – not least with YouTuber-turned-pugilist Jake Paul making very public demands of UFC president Dana White to raise wages across the board for his stars.
Ngannou is evidently keen for a taste of life between the ropes. Indeed, it's not the first time he and Fury have traded social media jabs, with the pair doing so last April when the Brit suggested he would make “easy work” of the 6ft 4in UFC destroyer.
At 6ft 9in, Fury would have height on his side over Ngannou, while the Brit weighed in at a record-heavy 277lbs for his trilogy fight against Deontay Wilder in October – compared to Ngannou's 263lbs for his rematch against Miocic.
Lineal world champion Fury knocked out his American nemesis Wilder in their last meeting to extend the Manchester fighter's unbeaten career ledger to 31 wins and one draw.
Feared for his ferocious punching power, Ngannou is unbeaten in his last five fights in the UFC Octagon and owns a 16-3 record overall in pro MMA.