Former UFC champ Francis Ngannou locked horns with Tyson Fury last OctoberCredit: Reuters

Ngannou cut and dropped The Gypsy King in the third round of their Saudi showdownCredit: GETTY

The Predator has set Fury a deadline for their proposed rematchCredit: REUTERS

But he was left red-faced by the boxing novice as was cut and dropped on his way to eking out a narrow split decision win.

Ngannou, 37, is hellbent on sharing the ring with Fury again but refuses to hang around forever for a second crack at the Brit.

While discussing his upcoming showdown with Anthony Joshua, he told MMA Fighting: “I win this fight and I’m fighting Fury period.

“Whether or not he has the belt. Our rematch term was within next year, so it’s going to be October this year.

“I just want to be free and fight, the thing is with the title is this is a system I don’t want to fall into anymore.

“You have to make a concession with an organisation, I don’t want that political stuff.”

Before Ngannou can think about throwing down with Fury again, he must first get past former two-time unified champ Joshua.

Joshua, 34, has breathed new life into his career following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk with wins over Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin last year.

But Ngannou is confident he’ll dramatically halt AJ’s bid to become a three-time champion.

He said: “I think he’s still the same fighter but that doesn’t mean he can’t lose.

“He lost to Andy Ruiz and to Usyk. He can still lose by the way.

“If Joshua takes the punch that Fury took, I don’t guarantee that he is getting up from it.

“I have heard that he doesn’t have a chin, but we are going to find it.”

Professional Fighters League pounder Ngannou is so confident of having his hand raised that he’s already thinking of a historic showdown with AJ in Africa.

He said: “At the end of the day, it’s great stuff for both of us.

“He could be my brother and I’d still fight him because it elevates us both, it elevates the sport, it elevates the continent.

“It’s not about a fight.

“You are not fighting somebody because you hate him, you fight him because it’s a challenge and the fight always elevates both fighters.

“Eddie Hearn said a lot of s***, but one thing he said that makes sense is maybe a potential rematch in Africa with Joshua.

“I think that sounds cool. We will call that Black Excellence.”