"Doesn't surprise me at all" - Dana White says Tyson Fury's callout of Francis Ngannou proves boxers need 'guys to fight'
Dana White recently gave his take on Tyson Fury and co. eyeing a fight against Francis Ngannou. He opined that 'The Gypsy King's interest in Ngannou was not surprising as boxers are in need of big-name fighters to fight.
White offered fans some insight into Fury's pursuit of Ngannou while in conversation with the media at the UFC Vegas 46 post-fight press conference:
"No. Listen, man, these guys, none of this surprises me. It's like these boxing guys need guys to fight. That's what it shows. You know what I mean? And, yeah, no, it doesn't surprise me at all."
Watch Dana White's press conference below:
Francis Ngannou's back-and-forth with Tyson Fury on social media has only built hype around a potential fight against the boxing bigwig.
Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou exchanging words today… https://t.co/OgVjXjD93e
Furthermore, Ngannou's contract dispute with the UFC has fueled speculation regarding his potential move to boxing in the near future.
'The Predator' currently has one fight left on his contract, which is set to take place at UFC 270 against Ciryl Gane. If Ngannou is unable to retain his belt against Gane, he will immediately enter free agency. The 35-year-old will then have the opportunity to enter the squared circle if he so wishes.
Francis Ngannou discusses his latest conversation with Dana White
Francis Ngannou and Dana White recently met at a restaurant to discuss his future in the UFC. While in conversation with ESPN's Brett Okamoto, Ngannou offered fans a sneak peek into his conversation with White.
Ngannou admitted to White that he felt inadequately represented by the UFC. He also complained about the way the UFC had promoted him and his brand as a fighter.
When asked about Dana White's reaction to his complaints and frustrations, here's what 'The Predator' had to say:
"Oh, he tell me... He bring up something really fast and that's why you know Dana is very good. He tell me like, 'Yeah, we want you. Have you ever want to go somewhere and we didn't take care of you on this?' I'm like, 'Yeah. But I think it's a little more than that. You know, just a little more than that.'"
Watch Francis Ngannou's interview with ESPN MMA here:
The 35-year-old revealed that his deliberations with the UFC supremo were not too productive. Furthermore, when asked if he'd be open to taking another fight on the same contract, Ngannou made the following statement:
“No, I will not fight for $500,000, $600,000 any more. I mean, it’s over. It’s over."