The former UFC heavyweight champion returns to MMA action next weekend when he makes his promotional debut in the PFL: Super Fights series against hard-hitting giant, Renan Ferreira.
Should Francis Ngannou earn an enormous comeback win against the equally enormous Brazilian, head coach Eric Nicksick believes that ‘The Predator’ will alternate back-and-forth between MMA and boxing as he hunts a long-awaited clash with ‘The Bronze Bomber’.
Francis Ngannou’s coach Eric Nicksick hints at boxing fight vs Deontay Wilder
Following an unbelievable knockout of Stipe Miocic to claim undisputed UFC gold and his subsequent domination of Ciryl Gane, fan-favorite heavyweight Francis Ngannou would exit the promotion as he pursued a lifelong dream to compete in professional boxing.
After going the distance in a razor-close fight with Tyson Fury, Ngannou’s hopes of becoming a dominant world champion boxer would be dashed earlier this year when he was viciously knocked down and knocked out by Anthony Joshua.
Speaking with Mike Heck of MMA Fighting, veteran coach Eric Nicksick has now admitted that should Ngannou win his upcoming PFL debut, he expects that ‘The Predator’ will return to the boxing realm.
“I think he boxes again; I think he probably alternates back and forth,” claimed Nicksick, explaining how Ngannou still has the motivation to compete in the ring despite suffering a devastating KO last time out.
“I just know his passion for boxing right now and obviously the paydays, so there are some fights that they could make for him – especially if we go and get a nice win in the PFL, springboard him into something nice in boxing and I think he boxes again right away.”
In just two fights, Ngannou has already faced two of the biggest names in the entire sport, albeit with dramatically different outcomes, but there’s one man who has remained on the hit list for quite some time… Deontay Wilder.
“I love that, dude they are all killers up there,” teased Nicksick on the possibility of facing the ‘Bronze Bomber’, adding how “I think a name-value boxer, Wilder is the name that we go and try to fight [next].
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“Those two dudes are going to wing at each other, they’re going to throw bombs, you know, so let’s just buckle up and watch these guys throw.”
Coach addresses concerns over Francis Ngannou’s chin after AJ knockout
Given the nature of Ngannou’s knockout loss to Anthony Joshua, it’s no surprise that fans are a tad worried about the former UFC champion’s chin heading into his fight with KO artist Renan Ferreira.
“I mean you understand the concern, but it is part of the game,” noted Ngannou’s long-term trainer, “Especially in that division where it turns into a coin flip, [if] these guys touch you with four-ounce gloves, somebody is going to sleep.
“Now what we do have in our favor is the fact that Francis has been working a lot on his boxing, his footwork and how to roll with those punches, how to tie his counters into his defense… The evolution of his striking has, for me, gotten a lot crisper and much more pristine over the last couple of years.”
Whilst Ngannou wasn’t able to showcase those improved skills against Joshua, Nicksick believes that such training sessions will be the deciding factor when he steps back into the cage next weekend.
“I know that we weren’t able to show that in the Anthony Joshua fight but leading up to that fight, he was literally the best that I’ve ever seen him.
“Unfortunately, Joshua just exposed him a little bit when the night came but all that good work that he’s put in, I think you’re going to be able to see on October 19th.”
Francis Ngannou vs Renan Ferreira headlines the PFL ‘Battle of the Giants’ card, scheduled to go down October 19 from the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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