BKFC President David Feldman recently confirmed that they have been in communication with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who left the UFC earlier this year. However, it seems that the two sides are struggling to find common ground on the issue.
During the BKFC 41 press conference held in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Feldman addressed a question asked to BKFC heavyweight Ben Rothwell regarding the possibility of facing Ngannou. Feldman’s response was not very optimistic.
Feldman stated that they have already reached out to Ngannou and his team. However, the former UFC champion’s financial demands are far from reasonable, which is preventing the two sides from reaching an agreement.
“Francis Ngannou, he’s somebody we’ve certainly reached out to,” Feldman said. “We’ve reached out to him, we’ve reached out to his team, and we just feel like he’s asking for unrealistic money, and we’re not willing to pay that kind of money for him.”
Ngannou has expressed his desire to try his hand in the pro boxing world and face some of the biggest names in the sport, including Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Deontay Wilder. However, nothing has been officially announced yet.
Ngannou’s free agency status has caught the attention of other MMA promotions, including Bellator and PFL.
Bellator president Scott Coker has expressed his interest in working with “The Predator” and even offered him a chance to box under the Showtime Boxing banner.
Coker graded the negotiations as 50/50 while PFL seemed very interested.
As time passes, Feldman believes that Ngannou’s perceived value is starting to diminish. The longer he remains a free agent, the more his worth may decline.
“I do think he needs to make his mind up pretty soon,” Feldman said. “As the days go on, his value is starting to drop a little bit.”