Francis Ngannou, after signing a multi-fight contract with the PFL, is set to make a significant earning in his upcoming boxing match against Tyson Fury and, if victorious, may be positioned for even greater opportunities in boxing, potentially impacting his future in MMA.
Francis Ngannou, a seasoned MMA fighter, stunned the fight world when he ended his free agency and signed a lucrative multi-fight contract with the PFL. As if this bold move wasn’t enough, Ngannou now stands to make an even larger payday for an upcoming boxing match against Tyson Fury on October 28th. While Ngannou is already strategizing for his PFL debut in 2024, he first has to face the challenge of beating Fury. The stakes are high for Ngannou; if he can become the first person ever to beat Fury in the ring, it would be a life-changing victory. However, the odds aren’t in his favor. Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, has never before competed in professional boxing.
Ngannou’s raw power, however, may just be what he needs to clinch victory. One clean, hard shot could potentially topple Fury, throwing open doors to even better opportunities for Ngannou. If he does manage to defeat Fury, Ngannou could either offer Fury a rematch or move on to other notable heavyweights such as Deontay Wilder or Anthony Joshua. Ngannou’s head coach Eric Nicksick posits on whether Ngannou beating Fury could signal the end of his MMA career, stating, “I guess we’ll cross that bridge when it comes”. Furthermore, he adds that Ngannou could lose to Tyson Fury and still decide never to fight again.
At 36, Ngannou is arguably in his prime but being victorious against Fury would significantly alter his future. Despite the exciting prospects, Nicksick is confident that even if Ngannou does triumph against Fury, he would honor his commitment to the PFL. Nicksick explains, “I’m hoping that he wins this fight and I feel he has so much more to accomplish in MMA, just from what he’s been building with his skill set. As long as he’s enjoying it and he’s having fun, I think he’ll come back.”
Since first working together, Nicksick says the key to unlocking Ngannou’s true potential was enjoyment. Reigniting the fun element in his training, while polishing his wrestling skills, which was proved his downfall in 2018 during his first attempt to become a UFC champion, Ngannou is more ready than ever. Reframing wrestling from a defensive to offensive approach, Ngannou has altered his mindset and is having fun with it, thereby strengthening his skill set. With this renewed enthusiasm and the experiences gleaned from recent victories, such as his win against Ciryl Gane despite wrestling with a severely compromised knee, Ngannou has a strong chance of having a promising future in MMA even if he does go down in history as the new heavyweight king of boxing.