30 October 2023 , 19:22
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Francis Ngannou has outlined his plans to fight again in February or March after losing to Tyson Fury in his professional boxing debut.
Ngannou went all 10 rounds with Fury this past weekend in Saudi Arabia and even put the heavyweight champion down with a well-placed left hook, only losing by one point in a controversial split decision defeat. The former UFC champion was being laughed at for thinking he had a chance, but Ngannou made his critics eat their words after making a debut for the ages.
Fury sported a black eye and grazed forehead just 24 hours after his win whilst Ngannou didn't have a single mark on him. The only damage Ngannou sustained was a sore elbow, with the injury being so minor that he forgot about it later on in the fight. Ngannou is now targeting a return to MMA in the opening of next year as he looks to make his PFL debut after signing with the promotion earlier this year.
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“I’m going to fight sometime in February or March,” Ngannou told ESPN. “Maybe in the cage or in the ring, but I’m going to fight. I already basically have both, and we are working on what’s going to work better. I came here to win, but I’m going back without that victory, which is not what I was looking for.
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"I was really looking forward to winning this fight, but I did learn a lot tonight about the sport. This is really my first time to fight and to do 10-round boxing match, straight boxing. I told myself that I didn’t do bad against the No. 1 heavyweight in the world, so I’ve just to go back and focus on that, and use that experience to work on it and get prepared for the next time. I think this just gets me even more excited and hungry to prove. I was wounded, but I realise I can bite.”
Ngannou has already been linked to fights against Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder just days after his loss to Fury. The Cameroonian insisted that he can switch between boxing and MMA for his next fights, adding: I can do both, combination. Nothing is stopping me from doing both. If I have the skill for both of them, why not?
"As for right now, I have a deal with PFL and I’m intending to fight MMA again. I love it. I’m more comfortable. I still love it. I might do some MMA fights, but I’m still going to do boxing. I never intended to just step over and do one fight and just go out. That wasn’t the plan at all, never. The plan is still the same.”