I think we’re all shocked about what happened last night. The script was pre-written, a glorified sparring match between the lineal heavyweight champion of the world, and WBC champion Tyson Fury – and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, in his boxing debut. It was supposed to be an easy win for Fury, a warm up match for the undisputed title fight with Usyk in December – a fight that was unceremoniously announced during the build up to Ngannou’s bout, with little regard given to the fight that was coming first. However, if there’s one thing that Francis Ngannou refuses to do, it’s follow the script – no matter who tries to write it for him.
While the judge’s handed Tyson Fury a close split decision win, the first of his career may I add, and he received his pretend title belt and promptly left the Kingdom Arena in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia – with the post-fight presser cancelled for no apparent reason. A feeling rumbles amongst many the crowd, and a large proportion of the PPV paying customers watching from across the world, should that have been an Ngannou win?
Fury looked sluggish, unfit, and in some rounds looked like he’d never laced up a pair of boxing shoes before. While Ngannou stood firm, lead the pace of the fight and even scored an incredible knockdown in round 3, which has resulted in an iconic photo you will now see in every comment section for the Fury v Usyk bout going forward, and most likely, one that will be blown up and framed on Ngannou’s mantle – most likely with the caption, ‘The People’s Champ’.
Fury did recover well after his knockdown, giving the dynamite in Ngannou’s glove much more respect, but the feeling still lingered after the final bell – not least because of a missed elbow to the face from Fury seemingly missed from the referee, one that Ngannou walked through like tissue paper – one would think that if he’d made more of a show, we could be looking at a very different result. But that’s not the Ngannou way, and he’s faced much worse in his 37 years than a dodgy elbow, and much worse that hasn’t knocked him down. Joe Fournier should take notes.
Francis Ngannou was born in the village of Batié, Cameroon – and grew up in poverty, with little formal education during his formative years. After his parents divorced at six years old, he was sent to live with his aunt. At ten, he started working at a sand quarry to make money for his family – refusing a number of offers from local gangs to join their ranks, instead wanting to make ends meet the proper way. In the end, Francis used the reputation of his father, a notorious street fighter in his home village, as motivation to start a career in boxing – much to the dismay of his family.
After 16 years of making ends meet with odd jobs, and training when the opportunity presented itself – Francis packed his bag and left with dreams of Europe via Morocco, a story well read by many of those looking for a better life, and one I’ve seen first hand during a trip to Ceuta earlier this year.
Before fighting on UFC 260 in 2020, Ngannou had an interview with Bleacher Report’s Tom Taylor, saying:
“My journey from Cameroon to Morocco was about one year. One year in illegal situations, crossing borders, living in the bush, finding food in the trash, living this terrible life.”
In a personal tweet a year earlier too, he’d mentioned his journey from rural Cameroon to Paris:
“7 years ago we were freed by Spanish homeland security after spending 2 months in jail for illegally entering Europe by sea. This, after attempting for one year from Morocco. I had nothing then but a dream and a faith of pursuing it.”
What makes Ngannou special, and a figurehead for so many of those living in poverty, is his everyman status. His story is not a unique one up until this point, but one lived by so many we share this planet with. All we want for ourselves is a better life, and we’re all human, and we all deserve chances at greatness – no matter what scummy politicians try to tell you, we’re all in this together.
From this point on, after finally reaching Paris, where he had no money, no friends, and no place to live, is where the story normally starts for those who speak of Ngannou. There, he was introduced to Fernand Lopez and switched his focus from boxing to MMA, and was given a place to stay and train at his gym. A UFC contract arrived in 2015, as did the UFC Heavyweight Championship six years later – after defeating Stipe Miocic at UFC 260, the same man who had denied him the belt three years earlier.
He didn’t stay in the UFC for long after however, defending his belt once against Ciryl Gane, before letting his contract expire after his demands were not met. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Ngannou went on record to say he’d requested health insurance, the ability to have sponsorships for all UFC fighters, and to have a fighter advocate present during all fighter contract negotiations. When these requests were denied, Ngannou chose not to re-sign with the UFC.
With many in the MMA world claiming that Ngannou had fumbled the bag, it was him that would have the last laugh – signing an unprecedented deal with the PFL as a free agent on incredible terms, terms that didn’t just benefit himself, however. His contract contains:
- A high seven-figure per fight guarantee
- $2M purse guarantee for all his future opponents
- A share of each event’s net profits
- Freedom to box whenever he wants
- Sign his own sponsors
- Equity in the PFL
- Chairman position the upcoming PFL Africa League
It’s the last one that’s so apt for Ngannou, he doesn’t want to be an exception. He wants to be a trailblazer, and make the journey for those who chase the dream after him to be easier, with much less hardship. He said in 2017:
“When I started, I had nothing. Nothing. I needed everything. But when you start [to earn money], you [start] collecting things: I want this, I want this, I want that. The purpose is not collecting things, though. The purpose is to do something great. Finish the dream you started.”
“I want to give some opportunit[ies] for children like me who dream of this sport and don’t have an opportunity like me. The last time I was in Cameroon, I brought a lot of materials for boxing and MMA to open a gym. Now I just bought a big space to start the gym, as well.”
And that he did. The Francis Ngannou Foundation now runs the first MMA gym in Cameroon, aiming to offer facilities for young people that would otherwise not have a place to train.
It’s easy to forget amongst all of this that Ngannou also speaks three languages, while many of us in the English speaking world can only speak one. It’s difficult to put yourself in the shoes of Francis, and the hardships he’s ticked off like a shopping list as he’s gone through his life, but one thing we can learn from him is his mental fortitude – writing your own legacy, and not letting anybody else try and define you, be that your family, your country of birth or a perceived lack of ability.
Francis just fought, and arguably, even bested Tyson Fury at his own game, and although the records might not show that to be the case – there will be one man who slept sounder than the other last night, knowing that the Wilder’s and Joshua’s of the world are asking for his number. Not bad for a man who fumbled the bag.
Author’s note: If Francis Ngannou’s inevitable autobiography isn’t called ‘Fumbled the Bag’, we’re living in the worst possible timeline.
Andrew L. Cook 