Francis Ngannou paid over $7 million to buy his freedom.
Now, “The Predator” is a free agent with the right to compete wherever he wants after earning his unconditional release from the UFC. There was talk of a potential boxing match against heavyweight kingpin Tyson Fury; however, ‘The Gypsy King’ might lose interest if Ngannou doesn’t have the UFC marketing machine behind him.
“UFC champion going and doing something with Tyson Fury got Tyson Fury’s attention, as did Conor [McGregor] had Floyd [Mayweather’s]”, former title challenger Chael Sonnen told his YouTube subscribers. “The simultaneous two-time UFC champion, with Dana White on stage, had value. that i still want to box and if i do, will it be against [Jon] Jones or Ciryl [Gane]?’”
Ngannou, 36, is known for his devastating knockout power and has racked up 16 finishes in 17 wins inside the cage. But the weapons that made “The Predator” so unique in mixed martial arts (MMA) may not translate well to boxing compared to brick-fisted titans like Deontay Wilder, who not only have the power but also the technical.
“As analysts, there’s not a world where Francis Ngannou beats Tyson Fury,” UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith said on Michael Bisping’s “Believe You Me” podcast (transcribed by MiddleEasy). “Francis Ngannou is just a regular dude as a heavyweight boxer. It is rare in MMA. It is unique. He is very special, but in professional boxing he is average at best. At best, he’s an average puncher. He is a below average boxer. He is below average in his footwork and movement. He is below average in his defense. He won’t fare as well as a professional heavyweight boxer. He’s going to have a big boxing fight and then the “new” is going to fade. We’ll see how good he really is and be like, ‘Oh fuck. He’s not that good.
Luckily for Ngannou, MMA promotions like PFL and Bellator MMA are likely to pay him handsomely while offering him the opportunity to compete in “soft science” at his leisure, similar to the recent offer made to the former welterweight in the league. UFC Nate Diaz. Don’t expect the Jake Pauls or KSIs of the world to sign on the dotted line.
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