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Francis Ngannou has an absolute mountain ahead of him to climb. The former UFC heavyweight champion recently left his longtime promotional home behind to enter the free agent market. The principal reason for the move? Ngannou’s interest in chasing boxing superfights with the likes of Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury.
Eventually, the Cameroonian-born Frenchman landed on a massive contract with the PFL, one that would guarantee him a big payday for future MMA bouts, while also leaving him free to pursue his boxing goals. A few months later and news broke that he had secured the kind of superfight he’d been looking for, an October bout against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. Now all he has to do is learn how to box.
Francis Ngannou hoping to enlist legends like Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis for training
Speaking to TMZ Sports earlier this week, Ngannou outlined his plans for his bout against Fury. Most specifically, his hopes for training preparation, and the possibility of getting some elite level pros to help him step up his game for what’s sure to be a massive spectacle.
“He’s said a lot of things,” Ngannou said of Fury’s trash talk leading up to the fight. “He better just get ready for October 28th, because if he’s not taking this serious, I think he might get surprised and get some regret for his life. I’m coming for all, this is my moment.”
“I think getting some advice or some training from Mike Tyson would be good,” Ngannou said of his prep adding that his team has already been reaching out to potential partners. “I also think of somebody like Lennox Lewis who could be good. I love his boxing style, very basic but very sharp and efficient. One-two [punches], all that stuff, classic but very good.”
Mike Tyson responds
Shortly after Ngannou’s interview, ESNews tracked down Mike Tyson at San Diego Comic-Con 2023 to ask him about some of the big upcoming boxing matches for the near future—including Spencer vs. Crawford and Canelo vs. Charlo. Of course, one of the bouts they had to talk about was Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou.
“I think anything’s possible,” Tyson said, magnanimously, speaking of Ngannou’s chances. “He has a hard punch.”
“I’d like to do that, that’d be cool,” Tyson added, when asked if he’d like to help coach Ngannou. “I’d like that, yeah. I’d like that.”
Tyson has, in fact, already given Ngannou a few tips about how he feels the boxing neophyte could potentially handle Fury in the ring. Way back in 2020, the two men met during a photo shoot, where ‘Iron Mike’ gave the then UFC top contender a few tips on his boxing form for fighting Fury in particular.
“Fury, he punches long,” Tyson explained at the time. “So, when he punches long, you got those short punches inside. When he throws around, watch—you gotta be ready. Boom, hard punch to the body.”
No matter how much help Ngannou gets going into his first pro boxing match, it would still be absolutely stunning if he were able to score the upset win. Even against many of the best heavyweights of his era, Fury has yet to taste defeat inside the ring through 34 professional bouts. That said, if Ngannou does win, the ‘Gypsy King’ already has a backup plan.
Fury has automatic rematch clause for Ngannou
Speaking recently to Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour, Ngannou revealed that if he were to somehow manage to beat the 34-year-old, he’ll have to give Fury a shot at revenge.
“For [if I win], definitely,” Ngannou said of the rematch clause (transcript via MMA Junkie). “[If he beats me]? That’s what I don’t know. We will see how it goes. That’s why I have to win this fight. I have to do everything to get that rematch.”
If that rematch clause were triggered, Ngannou added that it would have to come sometime later in 2024, since Ngannou is currently expecting to make his PFL debut as an MMA fighter early next year.
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