Does Francis Ngannou hold the world record for the most powerful punch? Exploring the remarkable strength of 'The Predator'
Francis Ngannou is one of the world's most well-known mixed martial artists today and is widely considered to be the hardest-hitting fighter in all combat sports.
The Cameroon-born Frenchman made a massive splash after making his UFC debut in December 2015, finishing his first five of his first six opponents via knockout. Moreover, 12 out of his 17 career wins have come via knockout.
While his resume is undeniably a testament to his herculean strength, Francis Ngannou also set the record for the hardest punch in the world in 2018. Ngannou tested himself on a PowerKube machine, which measures the power behind a punch by analyzing its force, speed, and accuracy.
The test results were stunning. Ngannou registered an overhand right strike power of 129,161 units and earned a reading of 122,000 for his off-balance uppercut punch. 'The Predator' also registered a speed power of 51,064 foot-pounds per second, which is roughly equal to a family wagon's horsepower.
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According to reports, former World's Strongest Man Eddie Hall was the last to attempt breaking Ngannou's record. While Hall came close to the former UFC heavyweight champion, he couldn't surpass Ngannou's numbers. Hall's punching power reportedly peaked at 113,999 units.
After leaving the UFC earlier this year, Francis Ngannou secured a big-money boxing match against Tyson Fury and will test his incredible strength against the WBC heavyweight champion on October 28 in Riyadh.
When Dana White emphasized Francis Ngannou's punching power at UFC 220
It's no secret that Francis Ngannou possesses some of the deadliest striking skills in all of combat sports. After a string of impressive performances, the Cameroon-born Frenchman was given a heavyweight title shot against Stipe Miocic at UFC 220 in January 2018.
The fight was understandably a highly anticipated affair, given the resumes of both fighters. In the build-up to the event, Ngannou's knockout power was widely discussed. Even UFC CEO Dana White once introduced 'The Predator' by outlining specifics of his tested strength.
Before a pre-fight press conference, White emphasized just how powerful Ngannou's punches were and said:
"Francis is a guy who has the world record for the most powerful punch... His punches are equivalent to 96 horsepower. 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***."
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Despite his incredible power, Ngannou lost the fight via unanimous decision. However, 'The Predator' redeemed his loss at UFC 260 and won the heavyweight title off Miocic via second-round KO.