Deontay Wilder’s trainer Malik Scott, is very keen on a fight between former UFC heavyweight champion and PFL powerhouse Francis Ngannou and Deontay Wilder himself.
He reveals that Wilder is nowhere near retirement and is eager to fight Ngannou at a grand venue in Africa.
Speaking to SpaceportSweden.com, Scott said:
Deontay Wilder will put Francis Ngannou to sleep if AJ can hurt him
The only thing that motivates Wilder is money
Daniel Cormier is wrong about Ngannou’s boxing ability – anyone can get knocked out by AJ
‘Two African Kings’ – Turki Alalshikh can make Wilder vs Ngannou happen in Africa
Wilder’s power is blessed – Ngannou doesn’t come close
Fighting is in Wilder’s heart, he is not ready to retire
Lives are on the line for Wilder and Ngannou. Money is imperative
Malik Scott: Wilder would put Ngannou to sleep and Turki Alalshikh can make it happen in Africa, Cormier wrong about Ngannou – he wasn’t ‘lost’ and AJ can knock out anyone
Wilder will put Ngannou to sleep if AJ can hurt him
“I think Ngannou is doing well. I think he’s a very brave man, I think he’s very courageous. He’s always called out the best in the UFC. He’s calling out the best in boxing. His journey is unmatched. He literally earned it the hard way. Everything he had, it came from his hard work which is his hands.
“If we get to go against him he is going to get to feel the wrath of Deontay Wilder because the closest thing he felt to it was AJ. But AJ and Wilder’s power are different. So if he thinks AJ can hit him with his best shot and hurt him, if Deontay Wilder hits him with his best shot, he goes to sleep- just like he did with Anthony Joshua.”
Wilder vs Ngannou in Africa would be exciting and Turki Alalshikh can make it happen
“It’s tough because at this point of our lives, especially Deontay, I would believe like any fighter that’s on the second half of their career that has had this much success, what gets them excited is the revenue. It’s the number, you know what I mean?
“That’s what would get them going and get them motivated and get him going and get him motivated.
“He has to be paid very, very well. Every other athlete has to be paid very well, that’s in the second half of their career.
“It’s something to get excited about because it’s Wilder and Ngannou. Especially them doing it in Africa, two African kings going at it and basically providing a better life – not that they don’t have a good life, but adding on to the life that they had – going against each other for the type of money that they will make.
“And doing it in Africa would be incredible. And if there’s one man that can get this done, it’s Turki Alalshikh.”
Daniel Cormier is wrong about Francis Ngannou’s boxing ability – anyone can get knocked out by AJ
“It was a heavy knockdown. The knockout was even worse. But I will say this, those right hands that he hit AJ with, those right hands could clip any man. Especially that second right hand.
“When Ngannou got up after the first knockdown, he was still out on his feet. I don’t even know how he got up. But when that second right hand from AJ hit him, anybody AJ would have hit with that right hand would have been lights out because that’s AJ.
“AJ got a chance to get his back foot on him. He had a chance to bend his knees. He had the chance to put his right shoulder back and he delivered everything from his right side and went right through Francis Ngannou. I don’t know nobody that that same punch wouldn’t have affected like that.
“So we can’t really judge that because it would be different when he fought Tyson Fury. Tyson Fury couldn’t do that. Nothing, nowhere near close to that.
“We shouldn’t judge him really off the AJ fight. We shouldn’t really judge him off getting hit with Anthony Joshua’s best shot. And now he’s knocked out cold. Cause everybody that Anthony Joshua hit with his best shot, they all have been out cold.
“Ngannou was concussed, very much so. He came out there, he was trying to jab, trying to move his head. He’s not a boxer. He’s just doing a little bit that he learned in a short time.
“You’re wrong to expect him to go out there looking like a boxer. He wasn’t gonna go out there looking like that. And don’t forget he’s in there with Anthony Joshua. It was really just a matter of time, the way the fight was progressing in such a short time.
“It was a matter of time and AJ was really switched on that night and when AJ is switched on like that, he’s very dangerous.”
Deontay Wilder vs Francis Ngannou will do big numbers in Africa
“Deontay always wanted to fight in Africa anyway. So I’m sure he’s very excited about it. If there’s something that he’s going to entertain, this is something he’s always wanted to do anyway.
“There’s so many times he was supposed to go over there just to visit and do a couple events for people that wanted him to come over. So I’m sure if everything is right he definitely wouldn’t mind going over there.”
“The best way I can answer that is we know Ngannou wants to do it. Turki is saying this thing can happen. Deontay is going to fight again. So it’s all just a win.
“Boxing fans can be very fickle sometimes. And not just the fans, just the way things go.
“I don’t know when the last time Francis was in the ring. Was it the Anthony Joshua fight? Yeah. So there’s just no telling. I know he wants the Wilder fight. He always speaks about it. But we just have to see.”
“Him and Deontay will do big numbers, especially in Africa.”
Fighting is in Wilder’s heart – he is not ready to retire
“Fighting is in Deontay’s heart. He’ll fight again. Deontay will fight again. He just moves on his own terms and does things how he wants to do them.
“Especially when it comes to the business aspect of things because like I said he doesn’t need this, so he ain’t going to do it if all the terms are not right.
“He’s still Deontay Wilder. He’s still big time boxing and people still want to see him. He’ll fight again.”
Deontay Wilder’s power is blessed – Ngannou doesn’t come close
“I haven’t seen Ngannou work enough with 10 ounce gloves on in a boxing ring. Is he a big, strong, heavy-handed guy? Yes. But with Deontay, Deontay’s power is blessed because he gets to the target so fast. He puts his hip through you, he puts his shoulder through. It’s just so many different dynamics with the way Deontay has always knocked guys out.
“He has a long resume of knocking guys out cold. That didn’t happen overnight. I haven’t seen Francis Ngannou enough in a boxing ring to think his power comes close to Deontay Wilder’s. I just haven’t.”
Lives are on the line for Wilder and Ngannou – money is imperative
I would definitely say the revenue is very imperative. It is very important because these fighters are getting in here putting their lives on the line, especially Ngannou.
“Ngannou knows what it feels like to get knocked out cold. He experienced that the first time when he stepped into a boxing ring. And Deontay knows what it feels like to get hit with big shots by these big heavyweights guys.
“So it’s not just Deontay. I believe this is very important for Ngannou too. It should be important for all fighters, all heavyweights. These are two concussive punchers. Money is very imperative. Them going against each other. Money is definitely imperative.”
Turki Alalshikh is probably going to keep coming with the money.
“What Turki has done with boxing has been crazy. Think of a match that you could think of and you’d be like ‘Wow, I would love to see them fight’. It’s either that fight is getting made or it’s cooking and about to get made
“If Turki’s saying he wants Deontay Wilder and Francis Ngannou in Africa and both of them want to do it, then the fight is going to happen.”
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.
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