Francis Ngannou will make his boxing debut. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter/@trboxing
Francis Ngannou, former heavyweight champion (up to 120,2kg.) UFC, will face one of the biggest challenges of his career this Saturday (28/10), when he debuts in professional boxing against the world champion Tyson Fury.
The French-Cameroonian, who broke with Ultimate after failing to reach a contractual agreement, follows the example of Conor McGregor, who in 2017 also swapped the Octagon for the ring to face Floyd Mayweather, considered one of the best boxers in history.
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But is Ngannou capable of doing better than McGregor did in the boxing match? To answer this question, the SUPER FIGHTS analyzes some factors that can influence the performance of the two MMA fighters in the noble art.
The first of these is experience. McGregor already had a foundation in boxing before turning professional in mixed martial arts. Notório began training in boxing at the age of 13 and even competed in amateur tournaments in Ireland. Furthermore, he had around three months of specific preparation for the fight against Mayweather, counting on the help of renowned trainers and sparring partners.
Ngannou started boxing at the age of 22, after migrating from Africa to France. The French-Cameroonian has never had an official boxing fight and has had just three months to adapt to the rules and style of the sport since the fight was announced. The help of Mike Tyson It is important, but may not have much effect in practice.
Mayweather or Tyson Fury?
The second factor is the level of the opponents. Mayweather was an expert in defense and dodging, as well as having a refined technique and impressive speed. Money had an undefeated record of 49 wins, 26 of which were by knockout, and had won world titles in five different categories.
Tyson Fury, in turn, is also an undefeated boxer, with 33 victories, 24 by knockout, and one draw. Current World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, the Englishman has already defeated names like Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder. Fury is a tall fighter (2,06 m), strong and agile, who knows how to use his jab and head movement well.
Tyson Fury He is one of the main boxing fighters today. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @gypsyking101
McGregor and Francis Ngannou's style
The third factor is the style of MMA fighters. McGregor is a natural striker, who uses punches and kicks well to attack his opponents. The Irishman has precise timing and devastating knockout power. He managed to surprise Mayweather in the early rounds, landing some significant strikes and showing confidence. However, Notório was unable to maintain the pace and ended up tiring during the fight, being knocked out in the tenth round.
Ngannou is also a feared knockout artist, who has extraordinary strength in his hands. The Predator held the UFC heavyweight belt from 2021 until early 2023, winning all of his fights by knockout or TKO. However, he also has some technical and tactical limitations, which were exposed in his UFC defeats against Stipe Miocic e Derrick Lewis.
F. Mayweather Jr. (left) and C. McGregor (right) faced each other in 2017. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook Floyd Mayweather
Difficult, but…
Given these factors, it can be concluded that Ngannou has little chance of doing better than McGregor did in the boxing fight. The French-Cameroonian faces an opponent who is taller, heavier and younger than Mayweather was at the time of the fight against McGregor. Furthermore, he has less experience and less training time in boxing than the Irishman had. Finally, he may have difficulty dealing with Fury's technique and movement, who knows how to neutralize his rivals' blows.
This does not mean that Ngannou cannot surprise and cause a historic upset in boxing. He has knockout power capable of ending any fight in a single blow. He also has extra motivation to prove himself outside of the UFC and fulfill his dream of venturing into professional boxing. However, he will have to overcome many obstacles to be able to face the world champion. Tyson Fury.
Attention: The text above is an opinionated analysis by Igor Ribeiro on the struggle between Francis Ngannou e Tyson Fury in boxing. This does not necessarily reflect the position of the site or the other writers.
Read More about: boxing, Conor McGregor, Floyd Mayweather, Francis Ngannou, Tyson Fury
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