UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has slammed MMA remuneration, and suggested he could make the switch to boxing in order to be paid what he deserves.
Ngannou is undoubtedly the most powerful athlete in the UFC. Since back-to-back losses to Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis in 2018, “The Predator” found hunting mode and went on a brutal tear in the division, leaving the bodies of Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik in his wake.
After four-first round knockouts that tallied less than three minutes inside the Octagon, Ngannou secured a second crack at Miocic’s title. After showing his improved takedown defense in the opening round, the Cameroonian did what he does best in the second. He viciously KO’d the champ and had UFC gold wrapped around his waist for the first time.
Despite being one of the most dominant names in the UFC, and holding one of the most coveted titles in the sport, Ngannou has revealed that he’s still not in a great place financially due to the increasingly criticized low fighter pay. During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, the heavyweight king suggested he still has to borrow money to help fund his training camp.
The discussion drifted towards the recent blockbuster trilogy showdown between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. Both of the heavyweight superstars walked away with multi-million-dollar purses. When asked if the money they earned compared to his own remuneration frustrated him, Ngannou suggested MMA is tougher than boxing, and hinted towards a future money-motivated switch to the ring.
“Well, it [MMA] is more difficult [than boxing]. I feel I should not be needing to borrow money for my training camp. At some point, I’m gonna go after those money. I’m gonna go to that boxing for sure… I’m not challenging the system, I’m just saying my right.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Having accused the UFC of underpaying him and attempting to discredit his his title, relations between the heavyweight champ and the promotion may not be at their most amicable right now.
Ngannou’s next pay check looks set to come in a massive unification clash with interim champion Ciryl Gane. The pair are slated to headline UFC 270, which will be the first pay-per-view of 2022, on January 22.
Should Ngannou successfully unify the titles against “Bon Gamin,” and clear out the rest of the weight class, perhaps the much talked about crossover showdown with WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury lies in wait.
How do you think Francis Ngannou would fare inside the squared circle?
