Why didn't Dana White back Francis Ngannou for boxing venture like Conor McGregor? Coach reveals details regarding UFC CEO's reservation

Coach Eric Nicksick recently opened up about why Dana White didn't allow Francis Ngannou to pursue his boxing dreams while under UFC contract.

After Ngannou's surprising exit from the UFC earlier this year, 'The Predator' made his highly anticipated professional boxing debut against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in Riyadh in October. Ngannou shockingly pushed Fury to his limits and was lauded for his impressive performance despite losing via a controversial split decision after a ten-round contest.

Considering that the UFC's reluctance to allow Francis Ngannou to box was one of the main reasons for his exit, many praised the Cameroonian for standing up for himself in the aftermath of the Tyson Fury fight.

During a recent interview on the JAXXON PODCAST, Eric Nicksick spoke about their discussions with the UFC regarding Ngannou's boxing venture and what Dana White had to say about allowing Conor McGregor to box Floyd Mayweather while under UFC contract in August 2017. He said:

"When he beat Ciryl Gane, we went to dinner with Dana, Hunter [Campbell], myself, and Francis, just the four of us. Francis said point blank, 'I want to box, but I want to box under the Zuffa banner... I want us to make money together. You guys did it once with Conor and Floyd and made a ton of money."

He continued:

"Dana had his points on why he felt it wouldn't work because of Tyson Fury still being [WBC titleholder] and everything. It worked better for Floyd because he was essentially retired... Unfortunately, over time, the relationship between the UFC and Francis didn't work out."

Catch Nicksick's comments below (13:30):

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Boxing promoter reveals Tyson Fury wants Francis Ngannou rematch, reveals potential timeline

Tyson Fury's promoter and Queensberry Promotions supremo Frank Warren recently revealed that there is a strong possibility that 'The Gypsy King' will pursue a rematch against Francis Ngannou next year.

In the aftermath of the exciting Fury vs. Ngannou fight, both fighters expressed their willingness to run it back. However, with the Englishman booked against Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed heavyweight title fight on February 17, many doubted Ngannou's chances of securing another Fury fight anytime soon.

In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Frank Warren stated that a potential Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou rematch is definitely on the table. He said:

"Let’s get the big one out of the way first, and then we’ll see where we go... Tyson told me that he wants the rematch, and I know Ngannou wants it... He’s a really nice guy, good team around him, and I’m quite sure we’ll do it again.”