Does Francis Ngannou Have the Skillset to Compete the Best Boxers?

Francis Ngannou is no longer a part of the UFC. The 36-year-old Cameroonian unexpectedly cut ties with the Dana White-led organization this January after failing to agree on a new deal.

Ngannou is now free to transition into boxing. But will he make it? UFC heavyweight Tyson Fury is interested in fighting the former MMA champion. However, boxing experts are advising Ngannou to take time before he changes sports.

Former boxing champion Tony Bellew believes Ngannou might struggle as a boxer. He’s advised him to stick with the MMA. Below is a breakdown of what might happen if the Cameroonian chooses to get serious about boxing.

The Odds Will be Against Him

MMA to boxing crossovers are pretty common these days. Conor McGregor started the trend in 2017 with a fight against Mayweather. Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva also gave boxing a shot, but they both lost to YouTuber Jake Paul.

Most other MMA fighters who’ve tried boxing lost. They lost because they were boxing the best boxers in the world. And you don’t beat a world class boxer just because you’re great in a different sport.

In other words, Ngannou shouldn’t get too excited about his boxing prospects. He might be great with punching. But he should be prepared to lose a couple of fights before he starts to win.

If you think Ngannou has any chance against Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder or Anthony Joshua, put your money where your mouth is. Read this full guide about the best boxing sites in the world. Join one of the sportsbooks and bet on your preferred boxers.

Ngannou is a Passionate Boxer

Ngannou isn’t just an excellent MMA fighter. He’s also a great boxer. In fact, boxing was the Cameroonian’s first love. He began training for boxing at the age of 22. But after four years and a move to France, an MMA expert convinced him to switch his career.

Since then, Ngannou has been training, breathing and fighting in the MMA. And that means he’s unlikely to defeat Fury if he faces him in 2023.

Given time to practice, however, the 36-year-old could have a great boxing career. He’s passionate about the sport anyways. He’s got plenty of time now that’s he a free agent. All he needs is a team of trainers and nutritionists to turn him into an A-level boxer.

Ngannou’s Punching Power

Ngannou is a punching specialist. He rarely grapples or wrestles his opponents. Instead, he prefers to be strategic with his movements before landing a game-ending punch.

Indeed, the 36-year-old has won 12 of his 16 UFC matches through KO’s or TKO’s. He’s become so good at it that he believes he’s a better puncher than Deontay Wilder.

If we’re to go by his claims, then the Cameroonian has a bright boxing future ahead of him. Wilder is a top-level boxer. And similar to Ngannou, he relies on his punching prowess to floor his opponents.

Ngannou might be untested in a boxing ring against a high-level opponent. But he has tested his punching power severally. He holds the record for the hardest punch on a machine—129,161 units against the previous record of 114,000.

When this striking power is converted into horsepower, Ngannou’s hit is equivalent to getting run over by a small car. So, why would he not succeed in boxing?

Ngannou is Miles Behind Fury

Ngannou knows he can’t beat Fury. And he isn’t shy to admit it. In last interview with former UFC champion Michael Bisping, Ngannou said he was not good enough for Fury.

Let’s break it down. Fury is arguably the best boxer in the world in 2023. He’s spent all his life boxing. He knows every rule, and every trick to the game. By comparison, Ngannou fights using different styles.

He trains to serve knockouts. But to win, he must be good on the mat. He must know how to get out of chokeholds, how to use elbows and knees. For him to get into boxing and winning, he would have to forget about nearly every skill he learned in the UFC.

Size of the Gloves

Critics argue that Ngannou’s punching power will likely reduce once he transitions to boxing because of glove size. In the UFC, gloves weigh a meager 4-ounches. This helps athletes like Ngannou sink all their punching power on an opponent, causing all sorts of damage.

In boxing, gloves weigh 12-ounches. That’s four times heavier than what the Cameroonian is used to. Although he has a powerful punch as we mentioned earlier, the glove size will probably reduce the level of his damage.

Less damage on opponents means lower chances of winning against someone who’s already used to the heavy gloves. 

Again, without his punching power, Ngannou has no cards to play. He can’t use his legs. He can’t wrestle his opponents. All he has is hope that his opponent has weak hands, slow punching speed and that he can last twelve rounds.

Endurance

Although MMA fighters have been losing to boxers of late, it doesn’t mean this will always happen. Ngannou, in particular, is the world’s best heavyweight champion despite losing his belt.

He’s so good at fighting because he has the endurance to withstand heavy punches and swift leg kicks for long periods of time. The average UFC match lasts 30 minutes and can take up to five minutes per round.

Boxing matches last 12 rounds of three minutes each, meaning Ngannou can actually last in a boxing fight. Sure, he has lost a couple of fights. But he rarely gasses out in a match. He fights like he never gets tired. And that could really help him in boxing. Many of the UFC retirees who lost their boxing matches did so because they couldn’t withstand the pressure of boxing.

Ngannou has proved he can take a beating. Now, all he needs is to learn how to defend himself against heavy punchers. He hasn’t met lots of them in his UFC career.