Curtis Blaydes wants to box Francis Ngannou after UFC retirement

While CurtisBlaydes wants to end his MMA career in the UFC, he fancies a boxing match after that. Blaydes recently revealed that he wants to hang up his MMA gloveswhile he is in the UFC. Blaydes draws inspiration from veteranslike DrewDober and Neil Magny,who have both been in the UFC for over a decade and have graduallyassumed the roles of gatekeepers in their divisions. While Blaydeswants to leave behind a legacy like theirs in the UFC, he wouldn'tmind a big boxing match at the end of his combat sports career.Blaydes wants to box former UFC foe FrancisNgannou, who did well for himself financially in boxing afterretiring from the UFC. "I look at guys for inspiration like Drew Dober,NeilMagny. I want to be like them," Blaydes told Home of Fight. "Iwant to be in the UFC as long as I can, and I want to end with theUFC. I want to have a legacy like theirs. I could see myself at theend maybe taking a random boxing match against FrancisNgannou, if he is active still. Something like that just on theway out. But in terms of MMA, I do believe that I will only be withthe UFC and when I do end, it will be with the UFC. And I will behappy with that."  

Blaydes (19-6) made his UFC debut against Ngannou in 2016, wherehis bloodied eye led to a doctor's stoppage at the end of thesecond round. Blaydes then went on a six-fight unbeaten streakbefore facing Ngannou in a rematch in 2018. "The Predator" knockedBlaydes out cold in 45 seconds in their rematch. Blaydes is comingoff a unanimous decision loss against Josh Hokitin a "Fight of the Night" slugfest at UFC 327this past April.  Meanwhile, Ngannou left the UFC in 2023 over a contract dispute.Ngannou then lost a controversial split decision in a boxing matchagainst Tyson Furybefore being knocked out by AnthonyJoshua. Ngannou has competed only twice in MMA since, mostrecently knocking out PhilipeLins on a Most Valuable Promotions card last month.