3 possible next opponents for Francis Ngannou

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou's latest attempt to pick up his first professional boxing win fell short, but he's likely far from done in combat sports.

Ngannou's attempt to earn his first professional boxing win fell short in Riyadh against Anthony Joshua. He was looking to get in the win column after a split decision loss to Tyson Fury in October.

It didn't take long for Joshua to outclass Ngannou inside the ring. After a Round 1 knockdown, Joshua pushed the pace, landing an overhand right that knocked out Ngannou unconscious in Round 2.

Ngannou is searching for answers after moving to 0-2 in boxing. Despite the ongoing pursuit of his first boxing victory, he remains a top name in fighting and will likely garner another big-name opponent.

Ngannou is expected to return to MMA later this year in the PFL. He parted ways with the UFC in 2023 following a long, tense contract dispute with the promotion.

If Ngannou doesn't hang up the boxing gloves for good, he has a pair of enticing options in the ring. An MMA heavyweight behemoth also awaits him for a possible clash in the PFL SmartCage.

Ngannou isn't a stranger to bouncing back from back-to-back defeats. After losses to Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis in the UFC, he went on a tear through the heavyweight division and eventually exacted revenge against Miocic at UFC 260.

Click to move on to the next slide.