MMA

FRANCIS NGANNOU’S return to MMA has been CONFIRMED – and he has personally made sure his next opponent receives a huge payday. Ngannou put his cage career on hold last year to make a switch to boxing, where he has bagged himself back to back blockbusters.
Francis Ngannou’s MMA return has been confirmedCredit: AFP

But amid his ugly UFC exit, the heavyweight superstar instead struck a deal with the Professional Fighters League.
The PFL gave Ngannou the green light to pursue his boxing ambitions while scouting for the right name to welcome him back to MMA.
And now they have announced the winner between Saturday night’s bout between Renan Ferreira and Ryan Bader will end the search.
Ngannou made his boxing debut in October against Tyson Fury, 35, scoring a stunning knockdown only to lose a controversial split-decision.

But still he fights Anthony Joshua, 34, next on March 8 back in Saudi Arabia with his boxing earnings set to reach around £20MILLION.
Ngannou is in Riyadh training for the bout and will be cageside to watch Ferreira, 34, and Bader, 40, headline the PFL vs Bellator event.
And thanks to the Cameroonian, not only will the winner earn bragging rights and a belt but also a future $2m (£1.5m) purse.
That is because when Ngannou entered talks with the PFL, he demanded his opponent be financially rewarded.
Most read in Boxing
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
PFL founder Donn Davis told SunSport: “The actual story is, Francis said, ‘I want my opponent taken care of. Too many people don’t think about their opponent.’
“And we said great, we’ll guarantee your opponent $1million.’ And Francis said, ‘I appreciate that but how about $2m?’
EXCLUSIVE: Ngannou wants Brit Hollywood star to play him in movie about crazy journey from sand mines to fighting Fury and Joshua
“And we said, ‘Okay!’ It was Francis’ idea and Francis negotiated us up to $2m which we quickly and gladly agreed to.”
Ngannou, 37, was offered $10m (£8m) to stay with the UFC for a super-fight with Jon Jones, 36.
And Davis confirmed he matched that deal but also provided him with the chance to box at the same time and launch PFL Africa.
He said: “Without ever breaching confidence of his deal, we’ve been public that his deal with the PFL is the exact economic deal that the UFC offered him.
“What he wanted – and what the UFC would not give him – is the ability and flexibility to box – and to be a business leader and launch PFL Africa.
“So he wanted two things what the UFC wouldn’t do and those two things are changing his life; the flexibility to box an the ability to be a true business owner as chairman of PFL Africa.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“But the economic terms of when he boxes and the financial terms are the same with the PFL as they were with the UFC.
“And I think that’s why you’re seeing more and more fighters coming our way.”
Anthony Joshua and Ngannou ahead of their March 8 fightCredit: PA
The winner between Renan Ferreira and Ryan Bader will welcome Ngannou back to MMA More

FRANCIS NGANNOU has challenged Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to have the “balls” to fight him in MMA. The ex-UFC champion put his cage career on hold last year to make a stunning switch to boxing.
Anthony Joshua facing off with Francis NgannouCredit: Alamy
Ngannou made his boxing debut against Tyson FuryCredit: Reuters
And in his first bout, he astonishingly floored Fury only to fall victim to a controversial points loss in Saudi Arabia.
But the disputed decision did not stop AJ coming to the table to agree another crossover clash for Ngannou, set for March 8 in Riyadh.
It will be the second time the MMA superstar has stepped out of his favoured discipline – something he doubts Joshua or Fury would ever have the cojones to do.
He told SunSport in Saudi: “Well, first of all you need to find a person with the balls to leave their backyard and come to somebody else’s backyard. 
READ MORE IN BOXING
“It is not that easy. It is not a comfort zone when you step into someone else’s backyard.
“You have to accommodate yourself into everything and it is very tough. And I am saying that from experience! It is very challenging.”
Ngannou, 37, had boxing royalty in his corner for his fight with Fury, 35, having been coached by Iron Mike Tyson.
But the Cameroonian powerhouse admitted contact with his childhood hero has been limited heading into his fight with Joshua.
Most read in Boxing
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
He said: “Honestly, no. We haven’t really spoken, we haven’t really spoken about that.” 
Ngannou idolised Tyson growing up and wanted to be boxing champ just like his favourite fighter when he started training at 22.
Francis Ngannou’s coach FEARS for Anthony Joshua’s health after fight with ‘ungodly’ ex-UFC champ
So even for Ngannou – who battled poverty and took over a year to emigrate Africa – having Tyson on the team was surreal.
He said: “It’s amazing.
“You have to look at him and travel back and think back at where you where at some point in your life and how you were watching him. 
“I think those are the moments that tells you that you’re making steps, you’re moving forwards. You’re not stuck in the same place.” 
Mike Tyson pictured with NgannouCredit: AFP More

FRANCIS NGANNOU has so much “ungodly power” even his boxing coach fears for his opponents – in a brutal warning to Anthony Joshua. Former kickboxer Dewey Cooper has been the man tasked with honing Ngannou’s hands since joining the camp in 2017.
Francis Ngannou in training to fight Anthony JoshuaCredit: @francisngannou
Joshua faces Ngannou on March 8
But along with Frenchman John Mbumba, their roles became even more important last year when Ngannou put on hold his MMA career to cross over to boxing.
But Cooper admits neither him or Mbumba can take credit for the ex-UFC champion’s devastating power.
Instead, he puts it down to Ngannou’s years spent working in sand mines in Cameroon for £1.50 a day from the age of ten.
Cooper told SunSport in Saudi Arabia ahead of PFL vs Bellator: “As far as his punching power, no that was something that he naturally had.
READ MORE IN BOXING
“He dug sand mines as a kid all the way up to his early 20s.
“Of course, his DNA, his Cameroonian heritage and that hard manual labour as a kid all the way up, I feel was the main attribute to that ungodly power.”
Ngannou’s frightening power was once tested and found to be the equivalent to 96 horse power.
That means it carries the same ferocity as a 12lb sledgehammer being swung at full force or being hit by a moving Ford Escort.
Most read in Boxing
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
And if anyone knows the pain of Ngannou’s punches, it is poor old coach Cooper.
He laughed: “I had to change my body shield three or four different times because he was killing me.
‘AJ ain’t knocking that thing out’, say shocked fans as Francis Ngannou shows off insane physique ahead of Saudi scrap
“I was going home with injured ribs all the time but I finally got a really good body pad – and it still hurts even now.
“But I’m just barley tough enough to take it. Remember, coaching Francis Ngannou isn’t for the weak or the meek.
“The saying, ‘It felt like he got hit by a bus’, I feel that every training session, I’m used to it now.
“It’s gigantic power, it’s enormous power and that’s gonna be on display March 8th and that’s for damn sure.”
Ngannou, 37, astonishingly dropped Tyson Fury, 35, on his boxing debut but it was not enough to avoid a controversial split-decision loss.
The performance and shock knockdown was still enough to earn the MMA star another blockbuster boxing bout, this time against Joshua, 34.
It will be the second time Cooper has led the charge but his 11th bout in total with Ngannou.
And he opened up about fearing the worst whenever Ngannou’s ruthless right hand lands – but showing no remorse before it.
He said: “The Overeem fight was one that comes to memory and the Rozenstruik, absolutely. But, that’s after the knockout, after the relief of victory.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“That’s of course when the humanitarian side kicks in and you feel bad for the guys. But going into the fight, absolutely not.
“We plan on dominating, I want to make sure people understand that, if it were my way I want him to dominate and smash everyone he fights, the same way he did previous opponents in mixed martial arts.”
Ngannou pictured with boxing coach Dewey CooperCredit: Reuters More