Editor’s Note: This article was originally published at MMAJunkie.com.
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Francis Ngannou wants to prove that he’s not just a knockout artist when he hits the box Tyson’s Rage.
Ngannou meets boxing champion Fury in a 10 inning match October 28 in Saudi Arabia. While Fury’s WBC title won’t be announced, it will be an official showdown, with results based on both men’s professional performance. The former UFC heavyweight champion hopes Fury doesn’t underestimate him and swears he will pay dearly if he does.
“He said a lot of things,” Ngannou said TMZ. “He’d better be ready for October 28th because if he doesn’t take this seriously, I think he could be taken by surprise and regret for the rest of his life. I come for everything. This is my moment, this is my life, and this is what I’ve been waiting for.
“The boxing dream I’ve had since I was a kid, long before I even knew MMA, was this: against a boxing champion, the belt might not be on the belt, but he’s the defending champion, and this is the dream. So I will come for everything.
Many people only gave Ngannou a boxer’s chance against an undefeated Fury and thought it was highly unlikely. But Ngannou, who recently signed with the PFL, thrives in the position of silencing his doubters.
“I have some knocking power,” Ngannou said. “It would be crazy if you walked up to someone like Tyson Fury, just counting like, ‘Oh, I have the knockdown power.’ I will go there for the box. I entered this fight as a boxer, and I was impressed to see people kick me out of this fight. It also excites me.
“The other thing is that they still doubt me, and as usual, I can continue to prove them wrong.”
