Heavyweight boxing icon ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson is more than willing to show Francis Ngannou a thing or two as the former UFC champ prepares for his debut inside the squared circle.
After signing a ground-breaking deal with the Professional Fighters League months removed from his UFC departure, ‘The Predator’ made another blockbuster announcement last month, revealing that he would make his professional boxing debut against none other than reigning WBC heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury. The pair will go toe-to-toe in a fully-sanctioned non-title fight scheduled for October 28 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Fight fans on all sides of the spectrum were quick to count out Ngannou, suggesting that the Cameroonian’s heavy hands are no match for Fury’s impeccable fight IQ, but not everyone sees it that way. Speaking with ESNews, legendary pugilist Mike Tyson suggested that Ngannou’s power gives him a chance against anyone inside the ring, including Tyson Fury.
“I think anything is possible. He has a hard punch,” Tyson said when asked about Ngannou’s chances against ‘The Gypsy King.’
Asked if he would be interested in training Francis Ngannou for the heavyweight showcase, Tyson answered in the affirmative, saying:
“I would like to do that, yeah. That would be cool. I like that.”
Mike Tyson Gives Francis Ngannou an Impromptu Boxing Lesson in Resurfaced Video
As it turns out, Mike Tyson has already given ‘The Predator’ a few pointers, courtesy of a video clip shared by MMA Crazy on YouTube.
“He punches long,” Tyson says in the video, as he bobs and weaves with his guard up. “When he punches like that, he punches long and you’ve got those short punches inside and in and around and boom, got to hit right here to the body. Watch how you hit him with the right uppercut” (h/t LowKick MMA).
Ngannou’s fight with Tyson Fury will be his first time competing in nearly two years. After capturing the UFC heavyweight title with a second-round knockout of Stipe Miocic, ‘The Predator’ spent nearly a year on the sidelines whilst attempting to negotiate a new contract with the promotion. Still unhappy with his circumstances, Ngannou reluctantly returned and bested Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 to retain the title. A year later, Ngannou would be stripped and released from the promotion.
After he steps into the squared circle with ‘The Gypsy King’ in October, Ngannou is expected to make his return to mixed martial arts, debuting for the PFL in early 2024.
