What did Francis Ngannou do in his childhood? Know about his story before he became UFC heavyweight champion

The story of UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is no less compared to that of a movie. Before reaching the pinnacle of his mixed martial arts career, Ngannou emerged from humble beginnings and worked in a sand mine.

Life is often difficult for many around the world, and such was the case with current UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Way before Ngannou realized his MMA dream, 'The Predator', who was aged 10 at the time, began working. In his appearance on 'The Joe Rogan Experience,' Ngannou said:

"I was about 10 years old when I started [working in a sand mine] because I was in the village where I grew up. After leaving my aunt’s house, I went to my grandma and we had to do something. We had to work to contribute at home to buy oil, to buy food, and also for our scholarship, for our books. You have to work, even though that work was meant for adults, but we didn’t have any options so we take what we had at the time."

Check out Francis Ngannou's statement below:

Even though his beginnings were extremely difficult, Francis Ngannou managed to do what many dream of. Along with building a comfortable life for himself and his family, Ngannou cemented his legacy by becoming the UFC heavyweight champion.

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The terrifying run of Francis Ngannou towards UFC gold

We often hear people say that hard beginnings forge tough people, and Francis Ngannou is a testament to the same. Throughout his UFC career, Ngannou has been known for his vicious power, which was on display during his run to the title.

Leading up to his claim to UFC gold, 'The Predator' had scored 10 wins in his UFC career. Nine out of the 10 wins came via Knockout or Technical Knockout. During this run, seasoned veterans such as Alistair Overeem and Cain Velasquez experienced Ngannou's terrifying power.

At UFC 260, Ngannou faced Stipe Miocic in a rematch for the heavyweight title. Eager to avenge his loss from his first meeting against Miocic, Ngannou knocked him out in round two.

While opponents of Ngannou have already faced his might, UFC President Dana White also stood witness to 'The Predator's power. During the UFC 220 press conference, White revealed some interesting stats about Ngannou's punches.

"His punches are equivalent to 96 horse power. That’s equal to getting hit by a Ford Escort going as fast as it can. And it’s more powerful than a 12-pound sledgehammer from full force overhead. Holy s***."

Check out what Dana White said below:

Francis Ngannou is one of the hardest punchers the UFC has seen. While he currently sits on the heavyweight throne and reigns as champion, 'The Predator' has been sidelined following a surgery and contract dispute with the UFC.