Tyson ‘Proud’ Of Ngannou: ‘The Champ Went Down’

Francis Ngannou proved his worth against heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury last weekend in Saudi Arabia, but it took perfect planning for “Predator” to find success inside of the ring. This included a training camp under the tutelage of former boxing great Mike Tyson (watch HERE).

While Ngannou had his normal set of coaches helping him along the way it was Tyson who was brought in to spice things up. After all, “Iron Mike” is one of the most feared strikers in the history of combat sports. If anyone was going to teach Ngannou how to compete throughout 10 rounds of heavyweight action it was going to be Tyson.

Luckily, Ngannou and his team welcomed Tyson into the mix with open arms. Tyson helped teach Ngannou some boxing specifics like footwork, head movement, and proper positioning to deliver the best punches possible. This led to Ngannou’s incredible performance against Fury, in which he scored a knockdown in the third round and went the distance with the best heavyweight boxer of this generation.

Tyson, who has stayed around the sport of boxing since retiring so many years ago, feels “proud” of Ngannou and believes the former UFC heavyweight champion delivered across the board.

“I’m proud of Francis Ngannou because he listened to everything I said, and I was telling everybody about the great left hook that he landed on his sparring partner and actually broke his leg and I knew if he landed that left hook on anybody they were gone and I was right. The champ went down,” said Tyson on “Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson.”

“I’m happy,” he continued. “I’m very grateful to be involved with his glory, his victory. I’m sure we’ll see a lot more of Mr. Francis.”

As of now, it’s unknown what is next for Ngannou. The former UFC superstar is currently under contract with Professional Fighters League (PFL), but the promotion has already stated that “Predator” can return to the boxing ring in early 2024 if he so chooses. This could clear the way for a rematch with Fury or a clash with the likes of Deontay Wilder or Anthony Joshua.