Cameroonian pockets $20m despite loss
Despite enduring a brutal second-round defeat at the hands of Anthony Joshua, former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, insists he’s far from finished with professional boxing.
The Cameroonian’s venture into the realm of boxing has yielded disappointment, with him tallying a 0-2 record in his first two fights. Nonetheless, his financial gains tell a different story. Based on the disclosed purses from his encounters with Tyson Fury in October and Anthony Joshua, the Cameroonian athlete has amassed $30 million within six months.
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In contrast to his first professional boxing match against WBC titleholder Tyson Fury, where he lasted the full 10 rounds and even managed to knock down the Briton, Ngannou faced a different fate against Joshua as he was twice sent to the canvas before succumbing to a knockout blow from Joshua.
Despite the setback, Ngannou views the experience as transformative, particularly in terms of his financial standing. Notably, his last paycheck as a UFC Champion in 2022 amounted to a mere $600,000.
Ngannou who apologised to his fans for the performance on social media has vowed not to quit.
“As for right now, I think I’m going to go home, get some rest, process what just happened,” he told DAZN after the fight. “This has been a hell of a day, since this morning. I’ll process it and see what is the next step. But maybe MMA, but you can be sure that I’m not done here [in boxing]. Absolutely not. I’m not done.
“It wasn’t my day, and he’s just way better than me today. It sucks, but it’s the game, we all know that. It’s the game.”
Anthony Joshua, the victor, echoed the sentiments of the MMA star, urging Ngannou not to prematurely depart from the boxing scene.
“After witnessing his bout with Tyson Fury, I felt compelled to challenge him,” remarked Joshua. “Ngannou is a remarkable champion, and this defeat doesn’t diminish his abilities. I encouraged him not to abandon boxing. With only two fights under his belt, he’s already faced the best.”
