- Francis Ngannou accused of ‘mishandling’ UFC contract negotiations.
- He should have stayed in the UFC to pursue a fight with Tyson Fury.
- A boxing bout with Fury would be a “one-and-done” scenario, he says.
In order to pursue a potential superfight with heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou may have handled his discussions with the UFC improperly, according to former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping.
The outspoken sports analyst Bisping said on his YouTube channel that he thinks Ngannou should have stayed in the UFC because there he would have attracted more attention than in boxing.
“The one that Francis Ngannou really wants — and I think this is why he’s willing to walk away from the UFC, which again, I think he’s mishandled that, I really do,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel (h/t MMA News).
“I think more eyes will be on him in the mixed martial arts world — it’s that fight with Tyson Fury. Remember, after one of Fury’s fights… Francis Ngannou was there.”
While a boxing bout with Fury would result in a “gigantic payoff” for Ngannou, Bisping continued by saying that he believes it would be a “one-and-done” scenario, with a defeat perhaps harming his prospects of re-signing with the UFC in the future.
“A one-off fight with ‘The Gypsy King’ Tyson Fury, one of the best heavyweight boxers we’ve ever seen, would generate a gigantic payday,” Bisping continued.
“There’s no doubt about that. Tyson Fury is a massive star. But it’s literally, realistically, going to be a one-and-done. I think — and this is no disrespect to Francis — in mixed martial arts he’s incredibly effective, in boxing he will be incredibly effective, but he’s also gonna be kind of out-skilled… Tyson Fury would, more than likely, nine times out of 10 win that fight… Then what does Francis Ngannou do?”
Ngannou is still one of the top fighters in the world pound-for-pound despite no longer being under contract with the UFC. He is also one of the most in-demand commodities in combat sports, with a wide range of choices in MMA and perhaps boxing.
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