"A dream is free. So I can dream. I always allow myself to dream." Francis Ngannou acknowledges he will not be able to answer his critics until he shows how he can box against Tyson Fury; Ngannou is a former UFC champion but boxes for the first time against leading heavyweight Fury
Friday 27 October 2023 06:05, UK
Francis Ngannou is a former UFC heavyweight champion. But the mixed martial artist has never had a professional boxing bout before. His first will be on Saturday in an unlikely 10-rounder with Tyson Fury.
Fury is, of course, the WBC champion and widely regarded as the leading heavyweight in the sport.
In short, it's hard to imagine Ngannou being competitive with Fury. But Ngannou is willing to defy his critics.
"I can't change what people think or how they view it, until I get there and fight and make them take me more seriously," Ngannou told Sky Sports.
"I think the only way to change that is to show how I can fight, how I can box. Because they are right not to believe in something that they haven't seen. And you can't blame them until you show them."
Upsetting Fury would be a "dream" but it's one that he has faith in.
"I beat him," he said. "I'm going to win. A knockout is a part of it."
His vaunted punch power was effective in MMA and he maintains that asset can help him against Fury, even in a boxing match in 10 ounce gloves.
"I might not have that power at the end of the day - but I just believe in it. A dream is free. So I can dream. So I always allow myself to dream," he declared. "You know what other dream I have. To beat Tyson Fury."
That outcome is implausible. But being involved in such an event is a fairy-tale end in itself for a man whose life has taken him down the hardest of paths.
Ngannou worked in a quarry when he was a child. As an immigrant he travelled to France, hoping to become a boxer and spent a period of timeless homeless on the streets of Paris. He converted to MMA which ultimately culminated in his UFC title triumph.
"I think my life experiences have helped me to build my resilience, my determination and that's why I get here today," he said.
"I wouldn't choose that life at all but I have to admit it's the life that helped me to be who I am, the fighter that I am today, that prepared me to be in the position that I am today."
Against Fury he will be out of his element. He can only speculate on how Fury would fare against him in his own sport. In an MMA bout, he says, Fury "wouldn't understand what was happening".
"I believe it's easier to convert as an MMA fighter to become a boxer than for a boxer to become an MMA fighter because there's a lot of different elements into it," Ngannou reflected.
"It's completely different. It's a different beast."
Fury is looking forward. He has agreed to fight rival heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed championship fight which he hopes can be staged as soon as December 23. That is a mark of how confident he is that he can get past Ngannou without trouble.
But Ngannou is not counting on Fury being distracted by that looming clash with Usyk.
"He's still going to fight after me regardless and I'm still going to fight after him. In fact I have an MMA fight early next year," Ngannou said.
"That doesn't mean I'm not focused. Tyson signing a fight against Usyk doesn't mean he's not focusing here. His focus is here. At least he better be."
The former UFC fighter though does not rule out further boxing bouts in future, though he is not willing to call out any names just yet.
"I have Tyson on my plate and I like to finish with Tyson - I have to finish with the main course. I do things in order. I do my appetizer, then my main course, then dessert. Everything at its time," Ngannou said.
"Tyson right now is the main course so let's focus on him. He's a solid food so I better focus on him."
