Francis Ngannou is a tougher fight than Andy Ruiz Jr. for Deontay Wilder, according to the former heavyweight champion’s coach.
Malik Scott says Wilder would still be able to get the job done, though.
Ngannou went the distance with Tyson Fury last weekend. That’s something Wilder failed to do in two of three bouts with “The Gypsy King.”
Wilder has now embraced that Ngannou is here to stay in the top division. He’s also ready to negotiate a deal if contacted by the MMA star’s people.
Deontay Wilder’s trainer on Ngannou and Ruiz
“Me personally, I believe he’s willing to do good business,” Scott told Fight Hub TV. “I talked to Deontay about it. I believe he’s right there to be hit by Deontay.
“He’s mature and poised, and for a guy with no professional fights as a boxer, he’s still big and strong. In my opinion, he’s very dangerous. He’s a high-risk fight for anybody.
“I believe him being that big puts him in line to be hit by Deontay with a bomb. We’ll write it up to get him out of there if the opportunity comes.”
Giving his comparison to Ruiz, Scott added: “I think Ngannou is a lot more dangerous than [Andy] Ruiz. Yeah, absolutely.
“From what I saw [against Fury] with what he showcased [he is more dangerous]. He showed patience. He showed punching power. He’s more of a threat than the highly ranked top five contender Andy Ruiz.”
Concluding with a dig at Ruiz, Scott stated: “The patience is what I’m big on. I’m very, very, very wary of guys that punch extremely hard, and they’re patient with their power.
“That’s serious stuff for me, and he’s very disciplined. I’ve always said that Andy’s kryptonite is someone who is disciplined. They can beat him.
Wilder vs Ruiz
Talks with Ruiz got underway as early as 2020 for Wilder. Despite years of attempts to get it over the line, Al Haymon ultimately couldn’t get the pair in the ring.
Even with the help of the World Boxing Council sanctioning two fights leading up to a final eliminator, Wilder vs Ruiz failed.
Ngannou could since come into play for Wilder as the former WBC ruler looks to end another year in exile. Currently taking part in a Reality TV show, Wilder is expected to announce his next move before the New Year.
That’s likely to be a return in New York, Las Vegas, or Los Angeles, dependent on the opponent. If Wilder can land a bigger fish, Saudi Arabia would become an option.
For now, Wilder needs to get back in the ring as soon as possible. He turned 38 late last month, and time is running out.
