Francis Ngannou will box for only the second time soon and has outlined now why he plans to return to MMA afterward.
Ngannou made what will go down in history as one of the most impressive ever boxing debuts when he took on Tyson Fury in Riyadh in October last year.
Not only did he jump right in the deep end with the WBC and lineal heavyweight champion of the world, but he also knocked him down and kept him at a relatively safe distance over the 10 rounds, only just losing on a narrow points decision.
On March 8, he takes on former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua in his second contest. Joshua will be hoping to use the fight to lay down a marker against Fury and show he can put on a better performance, while Ngannou has already vowed to test his chin.
Ahead of the fight, the French-Cameroonian former UFC heavyweight champion has been speaking to ESPN about his plans afterward and spoke about an upcoming PFL match-up this weekend.
“There is the main event Ryan Bader vs. Renan Ferreira which I’m interested in cause I think the winner of that is going to be the guy I will be with on my MMA return. It is my intention to return to the sport when exactly I don’t know. Everything depends on March 8. “
He was then asked why those would be the right opponents.
“Both are champions and then they’re going to be champ champ, so I think there isn’t a better way to find an opening for me since I am a champion myself.”
Finally he was asked why he would leave boxing.
“I never thought I had finished my MMA career, I just wanted to chase my dream in boxing, and when I can I will combine both. I want to dominate in boxing as well”
All roads first of all lead to the contest with Anthony Joshua.