Deontay Wilder welcomes boxing rules challenge from UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou

• Monstrous puncher Deontay Wilder returns to the ring Saturday for a heavyweight fight.
• The boxer has watched MMA events this summer and has even trained at the UFC Apex.

LAS VEGAS — American heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder returns to the ring Saturday, when he takes on Robert Helenius atop a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) card at Barclays Center in New York City, airing on a Fox Sports PPV.

In two separate conversations with Insider ahead of his highly anticipated comeback, the 36-year-old said he has set himself a time limit of three to four years to reclaim boxing's world championship before retiring for good.

Those close to Wilder at PBC are hoping for a highlight-reel knockout that can reestablish all the momentum he'd built until back-to-back defeats to Tyson Fury.

Bouts against PBC stablemate Andy Ruiz Jr. or the unified champion Oleksandr Usyk could be on the horizon should Wilder flatten Helenius in the same way he's done to so many other opponents.

However, a seemingly unlikely opponent could also be in his future — UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

Wilder said he'd "most definitely" fight Ngannou. "I think that would be an intriguing fight, and it would be a fight that would bring a lot of interest," Wilder said.

Ngannou has long craved a boxing super fight with Wilder

Speaking to Insider as far back as 2019, Ngannou said he was "hopeful" that his career in the UFC could lead to a significant payday in boxing, and even name-checked Wilder as a potential opponent.

Ngannou told us that people may have thought the idea was outlandish, but people used to think the very idea of him fighting in the UFC was outlandish, and he was able to prove those critics wrong.

"I'm a believer," Ngannou told us at the time. "I'm someone who believes things can happen. That's why I'm here."

Fast forward several years and it's becoming an event that both fighters are interested in.

Wilder had even discussed it as an option with PBC boss Al Haymon behind closed doors.

"It was mentioned to me before, and Al agreed," Wilder told Insider. "There's the old saying, 'If it makes dollars, it makes sense.' And he agreed as well."

Ngannou mentioned to Insider three years ago that he'd have to compromise with the UFC if he were to cross over into boxing.

However, he is yet to renew his deal with the market-leading MMA firm, and said this year that a boxing clause should be embedded into any new contract, according to MMA website Bloody Elbow.

"Who knows," Wilder said. "We may see that fight in the future. And if we do? Oh, boy. What a fight to see. The future is bright!"

Insider frequently spotted Wilder at UFC sites this summer

Wilder used one of the UFC's gyms in Las Vegas to hold a media workout last month.

It was one of many public appearances Wilder made at UFC properties in southern Nevada, as he frequently attended Dana White's Contender Series shows, and a UFC Fight Night event, at the Apex, too.

Considering his increasing interest in ultimate fighting, Insider asked Wilder who, out of various standouts — from Cameron Saaiman to Raul Rosas Jr. and Bo Nickal — impressed him the most when he watched fights at the Apex.

"I got to say they all were great," he told us. "I can't say if one stood out more than the other.

"I love being able to go to Dana White's Contender Series — they all fought their heart out to earn a UFC contract that could help support their families. Just the way I'm doing.

"I saw some of the guys look over to me, like, 'Oh my God! Deontay Wilder?' That would be a big shout-out for me as they knew I was there and made them want to perform even harder. It made my heart warm that, man, I mean so much to people, they know I'm expecting greatness from them and see greatness come out of them."

Wilder fights Helenius on Saturday, headlining the Fox Sports PPV.

In the co-feature, the heavyweight's PBC stablemate Caleb Plant fights Anthony Dirrell at super middleweight.

Gary Antuanne Russell, Frank Sanchez, and Michel Rivera also compete in separate fights at the TGB Promotions show.