Francis Ngannou wants Rico Verhoeven next, and this time the idea feels less like fantasy matchmaking and more like an active option on the table. In a recent interview with TMZ, Ngannou said Verhoeven is “very compelling” and “very interesting,” while cautioning that “nothing has been done yet,” which suggests interest is real even if contracts are not. He was also clear on the format, saying, “Either one. I would like to fight him,” a line that keeps boxing and MMA open and gives promoters room to build the event in whichever ruleset makes the most sense commercially.
Francis Ngannou calls out Rico Verhoeven for next fight
Verhoeven has been discussing a Ngannou fight publicly for months, and he said a future meeting is “100% on the radar.” He also said, “There are a lot of talks going on,” before adding, “Let’s say we’re halfway,” which is one of the stronger indications yet that discussions have moved past loose social media chatter. In a separate interview, Verhoeven confirmed, “The talks have been there,” and said conversations involving Saudi Arabia had touched on different fight options, including Ngannou.
In an earlier interview, Rico Verhoeven said: “The first thing that pops up is: crossover fight. I would love it. I think that is something that hasn’t been done before. Because we had the boxing world exchange with the MMA world. And that’s fun. But we’ve never had kickboxers exchanged in the mix. And they are way closer to each other. So, I think that is a fight where people will get excited.”
Ngannou is one of the biggest punchers ever produced by MMA, a former UFC heavyweight champion who has since moved across promotions and sports while keeping his value as a crossover attraction. Verhoeven is GLORY’s longtime heavyweight champion and the most recognizable active name in kickboxing’s top weight class, with years of elite striking experience and enough boxing work behind the scenes to present himself as more than a kickboxer stepping into unfamiliar ground. When Verhoeven described his own skill set, he said the move into boxing is “not even a transition” because he has been boxing for years and working with Peter Fury for years.
Verhoeven has openly praised Ngannou’s physical gifts, naming him when asked to build an ideal fighter and pointing to his overall strength, clinch work, and grappling control. That kind of respect sits alongside the competitive edge that has followed both men in interviews, where each has treated the other as a real threat and a real payday. The result is a rare crossover fight that can be pitched with very little spin: two heavyweight champions from neighboring combat sports, each with legitimate striking power and name value beyond his home discipline.
Verhoeven was close to being Ngannou’s opponent before Ngannou agreed to face Philipe Lins in MVP, and that Verhoeven had been in deep discussions with Jake Paul’s MVP. The Dutch-born athlete instead boxed Oleksandr Usyk and lost by stoppage in the 11th round after doing strong work early and being ahead on the scorecards when the ending drew debate. Ngannou has his own boxing grievance on the record after losing a split decision to Tyson Fury in October 2023, a fight that many viewers saw as far more competitive than expected.
MMA, though, cannot be ruled out because Ngannou himself refused to limit the fight to the ring. Verhoeven does at least have one professional MMA bout, winning by first-round knockout against Viktor Bogutzki in Romania, even if that appearance came years ago and does not make him a full-time mixed martial artist. Ngannou, by contrast, remains the far more proven MMA heavyweight, and that imbalance would become a central talking point if the matchup lands in a cage rather than a ring.
Verhoeven said talks had involved Saudi Arabia, and both men fit the crossover event model that has become attractive in that market and beyond. Ngannou brings global recognition from UFC and boxing, while Verhoeven carries status as the leading heavyweight in modern kickboxing, so the event can be sold to MMA fans, kickboxing fans, and casual combat sports viewers at the same time.
Ngannou has named Verhoeven as the man he wants next, and Verhoeven has already made clear the interest goes both ways. No deal has been finalized, but after repeated public comments, confirmed talks, and both sides speaking in unusually direct terms, this is no longer an idea living on message boards.
