Francis Ngannou faces a tall task, quite literally, on his boxing debut on October 28, when he fights WBC world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Fury is widely regarded as the best heavyweight on the planet currently, and many people feel his style would even prove too much for some of the greatest big men of generations gone by.
Ngannou revealed he is actually planning on taking advice from some of the iconic heavyweights of yesteryear, namely Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis.
Speaking to TMZ Sports, Ngannou was particularly complimentary of Lewis and his “classic” style.
“I think getting some advice or some training from Mike Tyson would be good. I also think someone like Lennox Lewis could be good.”
“I love his boxing style, very busy but very sharp and efficient. Classic, but very good. I love styles like that. One of those guys, we are definitely reaching out.”
Ngannou is a huge underdog against ‘The Gypsy King,’ so can be forgiven for attempting to get every last bit of help he possibly can.
MMA fighters have had little success in the boxing ring in recent years, with the likes of Conor McGregor and Anderson Silva all coming unstuck.
Though Ngannou is arguably the heaviest hitter in all of mixed martial arts, few are giving him much chance of even landing clean on Fury this autumn, let alone beating him.
If ‘The Nightmare’ was to somehow win, he would remarkably be crowned lineal heavyweight world champion on his boxing debut.