Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is poised to face the ‘Gypsy King,’ Tyson Fury, in Riyadh on October 28th. Ngannou, driven by his passion for boxing and various combat sports, departed from the UFC due to what he perceived as restrictive conditions. Now, Ngannou is fully prepared to square off against the most formidable boxer in the world.
The ‘Clash of Titans’ is set to wreak havoc in Riyadh and all around the world. Ngannou in his pursuit to learn the art of boxing has chipped in ‘The baddest man on the planet’ Mike Tyson as his coach. Critics have pointed out that a fighter like Fury, with a belt to his name, fighting Ngannou, who was the former UFC heavyweight champion will probably wreck all the records. In anticipation of the impending bout, Ngannou’s mother connects her son’s tough journey from rags to the world stage.
Francis Ngannous’s mother talks about his journey
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Francis Ngannou has consistently shared his personal challenges leading up to his worldwide stardom. The 37-year-old fighter from Cameroon endured a two-month stint in jail before his remarkable knockout performances put him in the limelight.
Even though “The Predator” has achieved enormous fame, he holds dear the lessons he learned during his turbulent teenage years. Ngannou’s recent departure from the UFC has again set his career journey in a different direction as he has joined hands with PFL to fight under their banner.
Recently Ngannou’s mother indulged in a conversation with her on his YouTube channel. While having the conversation she shared moments of Ngaannou’s childhood where he disliked fighting but had to endure it just because he wanted strength. She said “ Even at five years old, he did what a ten-year-old child can do. He was never brutal; he didn’t like fighting, but he was fighting with the banana trees in the bush. He did everything that had to do with strength, but he didn’t fight.”
She further added, “Even when he went to draw water, at five years old, he carried the containers of a ten-year-old child. The wood he collected was always the big bundles. He worked hard.” Her words emphasized the journey of Ngannou who has endured a tough childhood. Maybe this is the reason for his humbleness.
Francis Ngannou talks about his childhood dream
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Francis Ngannou, on a separate occasion, gave us instances about his childhood, emphasizing the fact that he always wanted to be a fighter since his childhood but nobody believed in his dreams. One of his posts on his Instagram handle ‘The Predator’ claimed, “Since I was a kid my dream has always been to become a boxer. Nobody ever believed in me or my dream. There was no precedent for it. There was no opportunity for it. My village didn’t have a gym within a 50-mile radius,”
He further adds “But I never gave up on my dream. Not even for a day. I didn’t know if I was going to make it but I did know with certainty that I was going to try it and give it my all no matter what. People always thought I was joking or that I was crazy for having such a dream. To them it was impossible. But guess what? Nobody knows sh*t. It has been a long road with many setbacks but now I’ve come full circle to get to this point. Here I am. Not born different. Built different.”
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Francis Ngannou’s life has been nothing but a rollercoaster ride, from his tough childhood to earning a massive name in combat sports, He has come a long way. What’s your opinion on Ngannou’s journey? Do tell us in the comments below.
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