Eddie Hall is in negotiations to fight KSW heavyweight champion Phil De Fries, just weeks after losing to Tommy Fury on points in an exhibition bout in Manchester. The former World's Strongest Man, 38, believes MMA better suits his strength, having previously defeated fellow strongman Mariusz Pudzianowski in the cage.
Hall's Move Back to MMA
Speaking on the Fight Your Corner podcast with Midnite, Hall stated: “I feel like boxing takes away my best attribute, which is my strength, whereas in MMA, my best strength is my strength. When you get on the floor with somebody, they might be much more highly skilled than you but you can grab, move out the way and smash.”
Hall confirmed talks with KSW: “I would love to fight for a world title in KSW. Phil De Fries has been the heavyweight champion for 12 years, maybe more, and we’ve been in talks [to fight].”
Phil De Fries' Dominant Record
De Fries, a Sunderland native, moved to KSW after an unsuccessful UFC stint and became champion in his first fight. He has defended his title 14 times, defeating fighters such as Darko Stosic, Augusto Sakai, Todd Duffee, and James Thompson. His most recent bout in April saw him submit Marcin Wojcik in just four minutes.
Hall Rules Out Ngannou Fight
When asked by Tony Bellew about facing former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, Hall downplayed the possibility: “I think so, yeah,” he said, acknowledging it would be a step too far. Bellew commented: “I just think he’s not the greatest wrestler; he’s a striker. He’s improved massively, by the way, I rate him very highly. After Jon Jones, I’d rate him as a serious problem. I wouldn’t go in a room with him.” Hall added: “There aren’t many people in the world that scare me, but Francis Ngannou is one of the people who does f*****g scare me.”
Hall remains open to both boxing and MMA, saying: “Whatever comes in the next few years, whether it’s boxing, MMA, I’m happy to do both.”
