Overview
- On Sunday Ngannou told TMZ he finds a fight with Rico Verhoeven “very compelling,” said he would accept the bout under boxing or MMA rules, and confirmed no deal has been finalized.
- Ngannou is riding momentum from a recent comeback knockout on Netflix’s live MMA card and has publicly set Verhoeven as his current target.
- Verhoeven boosted the matchup’s appeal by pushing unified champion Oleksandr Usyk deep into an 11th-round stoppage loss that many observers called controversial.
- Early-year talks tied to Most Valuable Promotions and co‑founder Nakisa Bidarian had previously explored Ngannou–Verhoeven before Verhoeven opted to box Usyk, leaving the pairing unresolved.
- If talks move forward the fight’s format, platform and promoter lineup — with Netflix, MVP and boxing promoters all potential partners — will determine timing, rules and commercial outcomes.