Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou is one of the most destructive power punchers in combat sports history. He has swapped the Octagon for the boxing ring for his last two fights, and the Predator has had some success on the squared canvas.
Ngannou floored the WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in one of the most shocking moments of 2023. Many pundits felt he even did enough to win that contest, but the judges disagreed and handed the decision to the Gypsy King.
Unfortunately for the man born in Cameroon, he proved no match for Anthony Joshua in his recent bout. The British boxer stopped him in the second round with a crushing knockout punch. He is now considering his future in the sport.
Joshua Was Clinical and Professional
Credit must go to Joshua for the way he prepared for his showdown with the former UFC fighter. He was the odds-on favourite for those who placed a bet on the Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou market, and he justified the odds.
AJ, who is number one in some heavyweight rankings, was in excellent shape going into the fight, and he was very professional in the ring. He knocked Ngannou down three times during the opening couple of rounds before the referee waved off the contest.
Ngannou accepted after the fight that the better boxer won on the day. He has refused to call an end to his boxing career, but this crushing loss may do his chances of landing one of the biggest names in the sport again a lot of harm.
Ngannou Has Been Linked to Other Projects
Although he has a contract with the PFL (Professional Fighters League), Ngannou has been linked with an appearance on WWE as a wrestler. He would not be the first former MMA star to switch to the entertainment ranks, as Brock Lesner, Ronda Rousey, and Shayna Baszler have all been successful on the WWE roster.
Ngannou could make a cameo appearance at WrestleMania this year to test the water on how the crowd react to his involvement. He is a huge name in combat sports, so the WWE would be keen to see if they can tie him down to a deal.
The 37-year-old has not fought in the UFC since beating heavyweight fighter Ciryl Gane in January 2022. He had a public fallout with UFC president Dana White which led to him departing the brand. It meant he was unable to fight current UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones in what would have been one of the biggest fights in MMA history.
Ngannou’s deal with the PFL is until the end of 2024. He will be a free agent again going into 2025 unless he signs an extension before then. UFC fans will be hoping they see him in the Octagon at least more time before he retires.
Although he does not have a contract to fight in boxing any time soon, Ngannou is likely to be back in Riyadh in May to sit ringside for Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk. A decision on his boxing future may come after that undisputed heavyweight showdown.
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