In what promises to be one of the most lucrative fights in heavyweight boxing history, fans are already well aware how much Francis Ngannou will earn from his clash against Tyson Fury.
Or at least the bare minimum the former UFC champion stands to make from their upcoming showdown in Saudi Arabia. Ngannou will make his professional boxing debut in a belt-less battle against WBC titleholder Fury in Riyadh on October 28, an encounter that's sure to attract huge pay-per-view figures.
But even without knowing how many people will tune in, Fury revealed at their promotional press conference how much Ngannou will rake in just for showing up. And that's without taking into account any bonuses based on how well the event performs.
READ MORE: Top 50 richest boxers in the world ranked – with top three worth almost $1bn alone
READ MORE: Floyd Mayweather opponent Aaron Chalmers fighting Love Island star this weekend
"Everyone said he was an idiot for walking away from the UFC and now all of a sudden he's a genius, isn't he," said the Gypsy King after meeting the Predator in London earlier in September. Ngannou was criticised for his decision to leave the UFC by some MMA pundits, who have since been made to eat their words.
"Guy's about to make $10million (£8.2m). Come on! Egg in their face! Francis is going to make that bag. Rich!"
Will Francis Ngannou become the first fighter to beat Tyson Fury in the ring? Let us know in the comments section below
And the undefeated 33-0-1 fighter wasn't wrong considering the upgrade Ngannou is poised to make to his finances. To put Fury's figure into context, Ngannou's last fight in the UFC – when he successfully defended his belt against Frenchman Ciryl Gane – came with a purse of $600,000 (around £490,000).
That means one fight against the Gypsy King should see the Cameroonian earn at least 16 times his final cheque with the world's leading MMA promotion. That's quietened those critics who said Ngannou was wrong to vacate the UFC while he was still reigning at its peak.
KSI takes on Tommy Fury at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday, October 14th as he hopes to cause an upset. Logan Paul will also be fighting at the event in front of what is expected to be a sell-out crowd.
From £40 to £2,000
In fact, Bloody Elbow calculated Ngannou's total earnings over the course of his seven-year stay with the company was around $3.5m (£2.9m). And he's now set to be paid three times that (or more) for 30 minutes of work (or less) against Fury.
"The bag is so big, he may actually just drop it on the way to the bank,” Ngannou’s manager, Marquel Martin, previously told MMA Fighting. “Oh my god, [it’s bigger than his entire UFC earnings]. I mean, by far. By multiples."
The Predator is widely known to be the hardest hitter in mixed martial arts, but the combat community is fascinated to see how that power translates to boxing. Next month's battle will be fought over 10 rounds rather than the usual 12, giving Fury slightly less time to get his job done than he's accustomed to.
But for Ngannou, the opportunity will be all about landing that killer blow, and the sooner the better as he makes his bow against one of the best in the business. But however the result pans out, Ngannou is winning before he's even stepped in the ring.
Source: Read Full Article
