I can't retire without boxing - Francis Ngannou wants to 'test himself' against Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder
Current UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has revealed his plans to enter the boxing ring.
In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, 'The Predator' stated that he intends to pursue a career in boxing and will not retire until he has done so. Ngannou seems confident about his boxing skills and wants to test himself against the likes of Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder:
"I can't see myself how to retire without boxing... Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder, I would like to test myself to their level, you know... And at the end of the day, it's just about throwing hands, you know, throwing punches, having a good delivery system to produce bombs, and I am sure if I deliver my own punches pretty good, I can make some damage."
Watch Francis Ngannou's interview with TMZ Sports below:
Francis Ngannou is all set to face interim champion Ciryl Gane in a unification bout at UFC 270 on January 22, 2022.
Dana White claims Francis Ngannou has been misguided by people
During a recent interview on THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas, UFC president Dana White criticized Francis Ngannou's management for their negotiating tactics. The fight against Gane is the last on Ngannou's current deal and his future with the promotion after UFC 270 is unclear.
White revealed that he had a good conversation with the Cameroonian fighter and took a jibe at Ngannou's management team:
"I think that Francis and I had a good conversation. I think Francis has been misguided, too, by some people that aren't very bright you know. That doesn't help either when you got some people behind you that have no f*****g clue what they're talking about."
However, there is reportedly a clause where UFC champions get their contracts extended by a fight whenever they successfully defend their title.
Watch Dana White's full interview on THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas below: