Floyd Mayweather expresses his interest in coaching and signing former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou to Mayweather Promotions, as Ngannou explores the prospect of crossing over to boxing.
Floyd Mayweather has his eyes on former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who is now a free agent after severing ties with the UFC. The knockout artist from Cameroon is currently exploring various options for crossing over to boxing and has teased interest in potential showdowns against Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Deontay Wilder for his boxing debut. Despite being considered a raw product in the world of boxing, Mayweather expressed his interest in working with Ngannou as a coach and promoter.
“I would love to work with him actually,” Mayweather told BetOnine.ag. “I would love to work with him. I would love to sign him to Mayweather Promotions. Very skilled guy. He was unbelievable from the highlights that I was able to see in MMA. I would like to work with him someday. If he wants to fight one of the top heavyweight guys, he should do it.” Ngannou actually dreamed of becoming a professional boxer before he ever made his MMA debut, so competing in the sport has been a lifelong goal for him.
With the ferocious power Ngannou possesses, he would pose a threat to anyone standing in front of him, and Mayweather knows that it only takes a single shot to end anybody’s night, especially in the heavyweight division. “I can’t say it’s going to take a while [for him to learn] because in the heavyweight division, it takes just one shot,” Mayweather said. “At any weight class actually, it takes just one shot. So with his size and his strength and his power, anything can happen.” Because Ngannou is a former UFC champion, he would certainly receive more attention than any other boxer starting out with a 0-0 record.
Ngannou would be taking a massive risk by stepping into the ring with more accomplished boxers like Fury or Wilder, who both boast impressive resumes earned through decades of hard work and fights. Despite this, Mayweather would never count Ngannou out against anybody and is eager to see how the 36-year-old heavyweight will fare in boxing. “He’s powerful,” Mayweather said. “With his power and his toughness, he’s able to make some noise in the heavyweight division.” When it comes to MMA fighters crossing over to boxing, Mayweather has no complaints, as he knows from personal experience that these fights can generate huge interest in ticket sales and through pay-per-view.