Since leaving the UFC as heavyweight champion in 2022, Francis Ngannou has completed his goal of making a substantial amount of money by competing twice in the boxing ring.
Despite climbing to the top of the mountain in MMA, ‘The Predator’ was always clear that his goal as a child was to one day become a heavyweight boxer like his idol, Mike Tyson.
After shockingly leaving the UFC in 2022 whilst being the heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou realized his dream when he made his heavyweight boxing debut against Tyson Fury in 2023. Despite losing, Ngannou went on to make another appearance in the ring when he took on Anthony Joshua.
Francis Ngannou responds to Dana White’s comments that boxing pay is a ‘myth’
Although the 38-year-old was unable to get his hand raised in boxing, he earned a substantial amount of money from his two outings, with him reportedly picking up over $25m from both fights.
However, as has been the case since ‘The Predator’ left the promotion, UFC CEO Dana White recently claimed that Ngannou would’ve made more money by staying in the UFC than he has since leaving.
Fans consistently called for a fight between Ngannou and current UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, with White claiming Ngannou was the reason why the fight didn’t come to fruition.
However, ‘The Predator’ has now responded to Dana White‘s claims that boxing pay is a ‘myth’ and that he would’ve been better off staying with the UFC.
“Well unless he was the one writing me the cheque I don’t see how he can know that but me as the inside one who was receiving the money after leaving the UFC and from what the UFC was proposing, it was just a trap, it wasn’t a solid contract as well, so that’s a lie,” Ngannou told ShakMMA.
Francis Ngannou reveals he will likely retire when he gets to 41-years-old
Despite having signed with the PFL in 2022, Ngannou is yet to make his debut in the Smartcage, with him scheduled to finally do so against Renan Ferreira on October 19.
The two will square off for the PFL Super-Fight Heavyweight title, and with a win, Ngannou will be the first fighter to win a heavyweight title in multiple major organizations.
The 38-year-old has a few fights on his PFL MMA deal, and he is looking forward to picking up the title and once again becoming ‘the defender’, however, he is still hoping to return to the boxing ring before he hangs up the gloves, he told MMAJunkie.
“I still have a couple of MMA fights so obviously it will be good to be the defender than the challenger. I have the appetite to go back into boxing that’s for sure. I still have a couple fights in both (sports) left because I would say I just turned 38, I would say I’ll retire when I start getting around 41, it could be 40,” Ngannou admitted.