3 possible next opponents for Francis Ngannou

Derek Chisora

A possible step back in boxing opponent difficulty could be Ngannou's best bet, although Derek Chisora is anything but an easy challenge.

Chisora is an experienced heavyweight with victories over the likes of Kubrat Pulev, Gerald Washington, and Carlos Takam. He's amassed a 34-13 professional boxing record with 23 wins by knockout.

Chisora publically called out Ngannou for a heavyweight fight after the former UFC champ's close loss to Fury in October. It's uncertain if Chisora remains interested after the Joshua result, but this might be a logical option for both sides in 2024.

Chisora has won two of his last three fights, with the lone defeat during the stretch coming against Fury in Dec. 2022. A unanimous decision victory over Washington in August got him back in the win column and back on track in his career.

As of this writing, Chisora doesn't have an upcoming fight booked, making a Ngannou clash a viable option.

Chisora began his professional boxing career with 14 consecutive wins, including a British heavyweight championship victory over Sam Sexton in Sept. 2010.

Chisora's upbringing in Zimbabwe would also create a potential all-Africa storyline for the Ngannou fight. Ngannou was born and raised in Cameroon, and both heavyweights have turned themselves into home nation heroes during their careers.

Ngannou's recently announced MMA return could put any boxing bookings on hold, but if Chisora is patient and insistent on making the fight happen, both fighters could be in for a lucrative payday.