Francis Ngannou experienced something that no parent ever should.
In April, Ngannou’s 15-month-old son Kobe tragically passed away prompting the former UFC heavyweight champion to contemplate whether or not he would ever fight again.
Recently, the Professional Fighters League announced that Ngannou would make his promotional debut on Saturday, October 19 for a pay-per-view superfight with 2023 heavyweight tournament winner Renan Ferreira.
Speaking with Sky Sports Boxing ahead of his highly anticipated return, ‘The Predator’ revealed that after losing his son, he had considered stepping away from the spotlight, but ultimately decided that fighting on and honoring his son’s memory was his best way forward.
“I think it has been by far my hardest [moment] in life,” Ngannou said. ‘I lost my son. For some time, I felt like I didn’t even have to do this or questioning about if I should do it or fight again. But, I want to do something good in his memory. Not to be the reason for me to quit but to be motivation and also to fight for him.”
Ngannou went on to clarify that his thoughts on retirement were brief, but after experiencing such trauma, he began to question everything about life.
“It’s not that I have come close to retiring,” Ngannou continued. “It’s just that in this circumstance you think, you have different thoughts. You see how fragile life is. You feel hurt, you feel powerless, you feel useless. You’re questioning about your existence, about the importance of all of this, or life in general.”
https://x.com/SkySportsBoxing/status/1821171007308112044
Francis Ngannou Opens as Big Betting Favorite Against Renan Ferreira
Opening odds for Ngannou’s long-awaited PFL premiere have already been released with BetOnline.ag listing ‘The Predator’ as a 3-to-1 favorite, sitting at -305 against Ferreira’s +255 underdog.
It will be Ngannou’s first time strapping on the four-ounce gloves since securing a decisive unanimous decision win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 nearly two years ago. Since then, the Cameroonian has tested his skills inside the squared circle, taking former WBC heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury to the limit before being stopped in the second round against Anthony Joshua in March.
Despite his 0-2 start as a pro boxer, Ngannou plans on taking another fight in the sweet science before the 37-year-old superstar hangs up his gloves for good.
Check out the official Ngannou vs. Ferreira announcement below:
