Francis Ngannou's coach reveals potential deadline for boxing debut and alternative plan

Francis Ngannou's head coach has outlined a potential deadline for the former UFC star's highly anticipated boxing debut. Additionally, he's also highlighted a possible alternative plan if Ngannou's boxing debut doesn't materialize by the deadline.

Speaking to Submission Radio, Ngannou's head coach Eric Nicksick has now suggested that his star pupil's next combat sports contest would probably be a boxing match. He asserted that the heavyweight MMA great "definitely wants to box first."

That said, he indicated that if Ngannou's boxing debut doesn't come to fruition till August or September of this year, they'll refocus on MMA and compete in an MMA bout next. Nicksick stated:

"If we get to August or September and we don't have anything boxing, we gotta transition over back into MMA and start making sure that we're getting all of our skill-set taken care of. Because that's where we thrived our best as a team and as a camp -- it's not during training camps, it's outside of camps. We're able to grow our best outside of training camp. That's when you can try new things and add new ingredients."

Eric Nicksick referenced training practices such as sparring southpaw exclusively, working extensively on wrestling, and creating a well-rounded MMA skill set. He implied that he'll continue turning Francis Ngannou into a progressively more well-rounded fighter rather than just a KO artist, so he can win even if he's unable to knock someone out. Nicksick said:

"So, it's very important to me, as a coach, to make sure that we have that time on the mat of just self-growth. You guys know the game is constantly evolving, and you gotta stay ahead of that curve."

Nicksick revealed that Ngannou is still rehabbing his knee. On that note, he'd prefer that 'The Predator' boxes first before returning to MMA competition. He further opined that Ngannou could secure lucrative paydays in boxing before his MMA comeback.

Moreover, he reiterated that he aims to ensure that his Cameroonian-French student stays active in the gym even when he isn't competing in boxing or MMA.

Watch Nicksick discuss the topic at 17:13 in the video below:

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Francis Ngannou's boxing journey could see him clash with top heavyweight pugilists

Francis Ngannou's last combat sports contest was an MMA bout in January 2022. 'The Predator' was stripped of his UFC heavyweight title and released from the UFC in January 2023 after he refused to re-sign with them.

Ngannou subsequently signed with the PFL and is expected to make his debut for the MMA organization in 2024. The consensus is that the 36-year-old will make his long-awaited boxing debut this year.

Speaking of which, boxing journalist Michael Benson recently reported that Francis Ngannou will likely take a tune-up fight first before facing the top-tier boxers. It's believed that Ngannou could fight a heavyweight boxing superstar such as Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder, or Anthony Joshua after the aforementioned tune-up fight. Ngannou's opponent and boxing debut date haven't been officially announced yet.