Francis Ngannou resides his finest life.
The previous UFC heavyweight champion shocked many on Tuesday by securing the boxing superfight he’s lengthy coveted towards undefeated WBC champion Tyson Fury. The 2 heavyweight titans are actually scheduled to collide on Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and in accordance with Ngannou’s longtime consultant Marquel Martin, “The Predator” is ready to make the sort of payday that the majority fight sports activities athletes solely dream of.
“Let’s simply say this: The bag is so massive, he may very well simply drop it on the best way to the financial institution,” Martin stated Wednesday on The MMA Hour. “Let’s simply say that. I don’t know what the haters are attempting to say proper now, I sort of simply blocked it out, however they’ll simply be confirmed mistaken once more. That is life-changing. That is precisely what we deliberate and visualized, so we’re completely satisfied.”
Martin stated Ngannou is predicted to earn extra for the Fury battle than he would’ve earned all through the lifetime of the UFC’s last contract supply to Ngannou, which included a blockbuster protection of his heavyweight title towards Jon Jones.
When requested if Ngannou is ready to earn extra for his boxing debut than he made in his 14 prior UFC bouts mixed, three of which have been title bouts, Martin answered within the affirmative.
“Oh my God. I imply, by far. By multiples,” Martin stated.
“Simply to make [this money] even whereas being champion, he would’ve needed to battle a number of instances simply to [be in this ballpark].”
Ngannou’s want to field was one of many main elements that led to his unprecedented UFC departure whereas holding the promotion’s heavyweight title. UFC officers declined to permit the Cameroonian to chase a payday in boxing whereas below contract, nonetheless the Fury battle has lengthy been on Ngannou’s radar. Ngannou even made a shock look within the ring alongside Fury in April 2022 following Fury’s win over Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium.
Ngannou is usually thought to be one of the vital devastating knockout artists in MMA historical past. He captured the UFC heavyweight title in March 2021 with a brutal knockout of Stipe Miocic, then defended his title as soon as, taking a call over Ciryl Gane regardless of preventing on a torn ACL. Eleven of Ngannou’s 12 UFC victories resulted in stoppages, together with knockouts of Alistair Overeem, Cain Velasquez, Curtis Blaydes (x2), and Junior dos Santos.
Fury is the No. 1 ranked heavyweight in boxing. He holds notable wins over Deontay Wilder (x2), Wladimir Klitschko, Whyte, Derek Chisora (x3), amongst many others.
Martin on Wednesday refuted the recent claims of rival promoter Eddie Hearn and confirmed that Fury vs. Ngannou is ready to be contested below conventional boxing guidelines, with knockdowns permitted over the course of 10 three-minute rounds. Martin remains to be uncertain if the bout will technically be thought-about an exhibition or knowledgeable battle, as Ngannou’s lack of a WBC rating at the moment makes him ineligible to win Fury’s heavyweight title, nonetheless he indicated that work on that entrance remains to be being achieved on each side.
“It’s simply loopy. Once more, promoters will likely be promoters and attempt to devalue the opposite facet as a lot as they will, however that is by all accounts an actual battle,” Martin stated. “We’re not signing as much as do some, like, go on the market and play patty-cake. No, no, no, that is an precise battle. What occurs with the WBC belt, we plan on speaking with the WBC to get licensed. That’s our plan. And we by no means know, we might have the chance to perhaps put his [belt] on the road. I don’t know, that’s for his facet. However I do know that, from our facet, we plan on hopefully having these conversations and ensuring that we do every part in our energy to — we would like this to go on on [Fury’s professional] report.”
“However once more,” Martin added, “I’ll set the report straight. It is a actual battle.”
The Fury information comes on the heels of an already unprecedented contract Ngannou signed with PFL that features fairness within the firm, a task on the PFL board of administrators, makes Ngannou the chairman of PFL’s enlargement into Africa, provides him the liberty to pursue his personal sponsors, and ensures $2 million purses for every of Ngannou’s PFL opponents.
Martin confirmed that Ngannou remains to be focusing on the primary quarter of 2024 for his PFL debut.
