Former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson believes Francis Ngannou is the Fighter of the Year for 2023.
Ngannou fought once in 2023, in boxing, and lost a split decision to Tyson Fury, in a fight that was much more competitive than many thought. Although Ngannou didn’t win in 2023, Thomson says the former UFC heavyweight champion changed the sport and will allow other MMA fighters the chance to box in 2024.
Thomson believes Ngannou changed the sport
“Let me explain to you. I picked Francis Ngannou for one reason, he’s trying to change the sport. The courage which it took for him to leave where he knew he could make a lot of money, and to go out and take a venture that would help change the sport, I can’t knock him, man. I’ve gotta give him credit. This guy did something that a lot of these fighters, they’ll kowtow to the UFC or they’ll kowtow to their boxing promoter, they’ll bend the knee when they’re told to,” Thomson said on his Weighing In podcast.
“He didn’t do that. I admire what he did. The reason why I also went for this, I said all it would take was a knockdown a good fight or a knockdown of Tyson Fury or any boxer he fought. He changes his life, he changes his career. Not just him, but it changes the avenue in which fighters can go to boxing now. I wouldn’t suggest it, I’m not saying they should It opens doors even more, not just being the old retired fighter that fights Jake Paul. It opens the door for current fighters to do this,” Thomson continued.
It is an interesting take by Josh Thomson as many wouldn’t think of Francis Ngannou as the Fighter of the Year in MMA given he didn’t compete in MMA and went 0-1 in boxing.
However, Ngannou did do a lot for MMA in 2023, by performing well in a boxing match against Tyson Fury. But, for many, the likes of Islam Makhachev, Sean Strickland, and Leon Edwards are Fighter of the Year contenders for 2023.
