Francis Ngannou has made contact with Tyson Fury's advisors over a potential fight in June or July.
The Cameroon star has been heavily linked with a showdown in the boxing ring against WBC champion Fury after the pair agreed to a fight last year on social media. Ngannou was previously unable to entertain any official negotiations regarding a clash, as he was tied down to a contract with the UFC where he reigned as heavyweight champion.
News broke this month that Ngannou had elected to move on from the UFC after failing to agree a new deal, which now leaves him open to offers as a free agent. And 'The Predator' has revealed that he intends to pursue an agreement prior to Fury's potential undisputed clash with Oleksandr Usyk for a fight afterwards.
“I’ve talked to somebody, some of [Tyson Fury's] advisors, but they’re working on a fight with [Oleksandr] Usyk in April,” Ngannou told TMZ Sports. “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 get prepared for a boxing fight.
"So I have no problem with the timeline that I’m expecting, that I hope will be sometime in June, July, which is doable. So 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. “We’ve been talking about this fight the past two years.
"A little over two years. I think at this point, the people are waiting for this fight and talking about this fight more than the Joshua fight, although the Joshua fight is still a massive fight. I would say both fights would be in the same magnitude of fight, but we are kind of advanced and willing to fight with Tyson Fury, and that looks like the way to go.”
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It is unclear if Fury would be able to fulfil any obligation to face Ngannou this year given he could take on Usyk for all the belts, before facing mandatory challenges from Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois. Any fight will depend on the ruleset with the pair having discussed boxing in a cage while using 4oz gloves.
And the 'Gypsy King' recently renewed his offer suggesting that boxing legend Mike Tyson should be a guest referee. He told Seconds Out: "Francis Ngannou, I know you’re out of contract with the UFC. "You want to earn some big boy money? Come see the Gypsy King and let’s do a big, big fight for the baddest mother f***er on the planet. Let’s kick it up spicy, in a cage, four-ounce gloves under Queensbury [rules] and let’s have a bad*** referee like ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson. Did I just sell that to the world?"
