Francis Ngannou has a chance to the shock the world this Saturday.
The Battle For The Baddest Man On The Planet
In what is likely the biggest fight of the year, the ex-UFC Heavyweight Champion will be making his professional boxing debut against the tallest task he could ask for in ‘The Gypsy King’ Tyson Fury.
Ngannou is largely being counted out against the boxing heavyweight champ, coming into fight week as a 750+ underdog. While ‘The Predator’ has a lot of doubters ahead of his fight in Saudi Arabia, fighters from his undercard have given their insight on how Ngannou could get it done against the undefeated Fury.
Robert Duran Jr. (12-3)
“That’s a hard question,” Duran Jr. told MMA Junkie, when asked to give Ngannou advice. “Tyson Fury, he’s the champion, he’s a great boxer with great skill and Ngannou’s gonna have to think smart in there. He’s gonna have to box and think smart. Other than that, that’s really all I can give him as an advice.”
Joseph Parker (32-3)
“He just needs to fight the way he’s been training and I’m sure he is put in the work with the sparring and he’s got a good team behind him. I think he has to get rough,” the former heavyweight champion added. “He can’t box Tyson cause he’ll box your head off. So, I think Francis’s got height, he’s got reach, he’s got weight and he has to get in there close and do what he does best.”
Carlos Takam (40-7-1)
“What [does] he need to do to beat Tyson Fury? He need to knock him out because he’s a big puncher,” Takam continued. “For one punch, he can beat Tyson Fury. I’m confident, I think he can beat him.
“I know people don’t believe that Francis can beat him, but I see him train, I see how he train. So for all those months, all that which he was training, sparring, I think he can do it. He can do it.”
Jack McGann (8-0-1) (MMA record: 11-5)
“I think that he needs to play to his strengths,” McGann said in his message for Ngannou. “One of his strengths is his strength and how hard he can hit. I think his best chance is to take it to Tyson. I think if he tries to back away and give him all that space and time thinking maybe in thinking, ‘oh, it’s 10 rounds I’ve gotta last’— that’ll go against him.
“But, I think being someone who’s competed in MMA myself, there’s advantages that people overlook on Francis has got as well. He used to covering the distance. He’s used to being in front of different styles. There’s things that go in his favor as well.”
Moses Itauma (5-0)
“I’m not gonna tell him what he needs to do cause I’m not a boxing trainer. But listen, any man that’s got will, has got a chance,” Itauma said of Ngannou. “So, if he goes in there with the right mindset, a hundred percent, he can win.”
Junior Anthony Wright (20-4-1)
“He’s gonna have to try his best to corner Tyson Fury and even double up on his punches because sometimes Tyson Fury goes left, right, left, right, double up. If you double up on one side, he might be able to catch him. That’s really the only thing I see.
“I don’t see nothing else because Tyson Fury’s good at everything else. Ngannou’s gonna have to catch lightning in a bottle. Doubling up on his punches, that could be key,” Wright said. “That’s the only thing I see.”
Simon Kean (23-1)
“You have to knock him out,” Kean said with a laugh. “It’s a big deal for knock him out, Tyson Fury. I don’t think so. I don’t think [Ngannou’s] gonna win.”
Fabio Wardley (16-0)
“I think he needs to make it an ugly, almost uncomfortable fight for Fury,” Wardley said. “If you let Fury get into his rhythm of boxing and moving and almost dancing circles around you, I think you’re in for a tough night. I think Ngannou needs to go in there, kind of just knuckle down and really get stuck and put his head in his chest and whack away to that body.”
What would be your best advice to give to Francis Ngannou?
