When did Francis Ngannou start training in boxing? The story of the former UFC champion's transition into the sport

Francis Ngannou began training in boxing at 22 but quickly left the sport for MMA.

'The Predator' recently made his boxing debut over the weekend in Saudi Arabia against Tyson Fury. For Ngannou, the fight was his first since a January 2022 win over Ciryl Gane in the UFC. Furthermore, it was his first boxing match to date.

Entering the bout, the PFL heavyweight was a massive underdog. However, he took the fight to 'The Gypsy King' on Saturday night. Ngannou scored a third-round knockdown of Fury and gave the British boxer a much closer contest than expected.

In the end, Tyson Fury retained his lineal title by a split decision. Despite the defeat, many were impressed with Francis Ngannou's performance, especially because he's not a boxer by trade. He got this bout based on his previous performances inside the octagon.

Ngannou's only boxing experience was the 12-week training camp he had for this bout, as well as his training from his 20s. At 22, the future PFL star began training in boxing in France. A longtime fan of Mike Tyson, he believed that his combat sports career would be in the ring.

However, his then-coach told him that he was more likely to find success in MMA. As a result, Ngannou quickly dropped boxing training after just a few months. Now, in hindsight, it's safe to say that he was right about his feelings about becoming a boxer.

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Francis Ngannou reveals ongoing talks with Deontay Wilder

It seems that Francis Ngannou plans to be around in boxing for the long haul.

'The Predator' famously signed to the PFL in March, his first after leaving the UFC in January. He later obviously signed a deal to face Fury in the boxing ring, which will net him $10 million dollars.

While a big payday, it seems that his performance has also given him a boost in confidence. Following the split-decision defeat, Ngannou called for a rematch with Tyson Fury. However, due to his scheduled bout with Oleksandr Usyk, that seems off the table for now.

With that in mind, Francis Ngannou is targeting another massive star, Deontay Wilder. Not only that but he's revealed that talks are ongoing with 'The Bronze Bomber' for a fight in the cage.

Speaking on The MMA Hour, he stated:

"Deontay Wilder for a couple of months, for a little while now, has been training MMA. There's an option here [to fight in the cage, or ring]... That's something that makes sense. He's really serious about the MMA."