"We are definitely reaching out" - Francis Ngannou hints at training with Mike Tyson to prepare for Tyson Fury super-fight
Francis Ngannou is set to take on heavyweight king Tyson Fury in a boxing match later this year. 'The Predator' will be making his professional boxing debut and stated that he may ask Mike Tyson to help him prepare for the challenge.
'Iron Mike' is one of the most revered boxers of all-time, and is famous for his terrifying power and speed. He retired with a pro record of 50-6, and reigned as the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. Tyson also holds the record for the youngest ever heavyweight champion.
Francis Ngannou and Tyson Fury will face off in the squared circle in October, and ahead of the clash, 'The Predator' was interviewed by TMZ Sports. Ngannou discussed possibly training with Mike Tyson for the matchup, and also mentioned working with British heavyweight great Lennox Lewis.
He said this:
"I think getting some advice or some training from Mike Tyson would be good. I also think of somebody like Lennox Lewis who could be good. I love his boxing style, very basic but very sharp and efficient. One-two [punches], all that stuff, classic but very good. Yes, one of those guys. We are definitely reaching out."
Watch the interview below from 3:20:
Francis Ngannou has had aspirations of fighting Tyson Fury for several years, but until recently, 'The Predator' was not able to achieve those goals. Ngannou departured the UFC earlier this year and was subsequently signed by surging MMA promotion the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
'The Predator' deal with the PFL allowed him to explore boxing matches in 2023, something that his UFC contract prohibited. Ngannou is expected to return to MMA in 2024.
Francis Ngannou's coach shares the gameplan they will use against Tyson Fury
Francis Ngannou's coach, Eric Nicksick, recently shed light on the gameplan they will use against Tyson Fury in October.
Nicksick believes that Ngannou will need to bring something Fury 'has never seen' in order to find success against the heavyweight champion. The Xtreme Couture coach pointed to the awkward style of Deontay Wilder as a possible blueprint for finding Fury's chin, who is regarded as a slick and technical boxer.
Eric Nicksick recently appeared on MMA Junkie's Spinning Back Clique, where he broke down Francis Ngannou's gameplan vs. Tyson Fury. He said this:
"If you go and try to outbox Tyson Fury, I think we're in for a long night... We're gonna have to come up with things that are innovative, things that traditional boxers aren't accustomed to seeing... by saying that, when you watch the way Wilder was able to catch Tyson Fury, Wilder has been known as not really a fundamental-style boxer..."
Watch the video below from 3:50: