The same happened in Kick - Boxing when Bob “The Beast” Sapp entered the competition. He was a huge strong American Football player who beat up several top fighters including Ernesto Hoost. In the UFC they had Brock Lesnar who came from the WWE.
I don't understand why did you decide to bring some journeyman into the conversation. Ngannou is very good for a debutant at his age, however he stands no chance against top level HW boxers.
Journeyman UFC reject Hardy is a top 100 heavyweight boxer whose dominated experienced boxers like Rahman Jr., despite having far less striking experience than Ngannou and being a far inferior MMA striker according to everyone who follows the sport. "however he stands no chance against top level HW boxers." That's a bizarre statement at this point. You'll be proven wrong in due course.
I agree. that statement doesn’t even make sense. Francis already did prove himself against the number one guy.
Dubois is top 20, doesn't have chin or heart. I don't think the skill gap is that great either given Ngannou's 14-15 years striking experience and Ngannou has a very awkward style.
I agree. But his argument is that "Fury is washed", "Fury was overconfident", "Fury was exposed" or some combination thereof. The same things people said regarding Wallin, who had also proven himself against Fury in a tough distance fight. Ngannou will very likely beat some name boxers now and even if someone thinks he'd get outboxed by all of the top 10, he obviously has a puncher's chance at the very least.
He doesn't need a chin or heart, he just has to jab and move for 12 rounds and not engage on his way to a boring victory.
Ngannou has a 5 inch reach advantage and Dubois doesn't have a backfoot game, or a good defence. Joyce couldn't miss with his jab. Ngannou would land a hook on Dubois' temple and he'd fall apart, as he virtually did against cruiser bum Lerena in the 1st round.
And if Francis loses, it wont be a blow out. Francis has a lot of threat in his hands to force any boxer to be hesitant with there shots. And Francis displayed a solid boxing guard, a good clinch and a good chin. I genuinely think Francis will hit the score cards with every fighter he faces and make it a slow pace fight.
Ngannou has some insane attributes. If people think any random top 20 heavyweight is going to beat him no problem then they are utterly delusional. Ngannou’s attributes (pre-Fury) 6’4, 83 inch reach, 272 lbs ripped Phenomenal clinch fighter Switch hitter Big power in both hands, most dangerous puncher in MMA history, has held the world record on a punching machine since 2018 14-15 years striking experience (MMA and boxing) Lineal UFC heavyweight champion Iron chin, never dropped or stopped in 21 MMA/kickboxing fights Pressure on experienced boxers not to get KO’d by an MMA fighter in a mega event Easy to underestimate (17-3 MMA fighter, 21 months inactive, 0-0 as a boxer, outstruck by D. Lewis and Gane, gassed badly against Miocic 1, only one win past 10 minutes in 21 MMA/kickboxing fights) No boxing footage to study
The way that the lewis fight and fury fight played out is how all of Francis fight will look like imo. Two guys hesitant to exchange and pawing each others’s lead hand looking for openings. I’ve said this before and i know it makes me sound like i’m hating on people here. But boxing purist have a cartoonish way of looking at fighting. Anyone big and strong with a level head can be shaped into a champ. Jess Willard did what Francis did a 100 years ago. He started boxing at 28, fought very calm and composed and beat Jack Johnson who was training since he was a teen. There are some parallels between them and what Francis did on Saturday is fight composed and patient and took advantage of his size and strength. And he bullied Fury in the clinch the same way that Willard bullied Johnson in their fight. altho francis started boxing at 22 in france*
A orangutan has a longer reach than me. What's your point. So ur saying only those with long reach can jab?? There is some silly things said on here but that's up there.
i mean you can watch actual tape and see francis had a crisp jab straight to the body and landed several double jabs on Furies head.
"But boxing purist have a cartoonish way of looking at fighting." They do. I haven't boxed but I got to a decent level in judo as a teen. I was a lot more skilled then most judoka who were 100-120KG but I couldn't move them. They seem to believe things like "If you're an MMA heavyweight then you must be featherfisted and have a glass chin". Even though there's no inherent reason for this to be the case.