Francis Ngannou is a Cameroonian-French professional mixed martial artist and professional boxer.
He was born on September 5, 1986, in Cameroon and lived in poverty with little education.
At the age of 12, Ngannou started working in a sand quarry because of a lack of funds.
As a youngster, he was approached by gangs in his village to join them, but he refused and instead decided to pursue boxing.
Ngannou emigrated to Paris, France, at the age of 26 to pursue professional boxing, and after living on the streets of Paris, he began training for free in August 2013 under Fernand Lopez Owonyebe at the MMA Factory.
He is currently signed to the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and previously competed in the Heavyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was the reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion at the time of his departure from the promotion.
He is known for his powerful striking and has won many fights by knockouts.
Ngannou’s journey from poverty to MMA stardom has been an inspiration to many.
He has spoken about his dreams to be a heavyweight champion, just like his hero Mike Tyson.
Ngannou has also expressed interest in pursuing a career in Hollywood.
In addition to his fighting career, Ngannou is the chairman of PFL Africa, an initiative to expand MMA in the continent.
Francins Ngannou height
The boxer is 6 feet 4 inches tall according to a report published on ESPN.
How old is Francis Ngannou?
He was born on September 5, 1986, making him 37 years old as of October 2023.
Francis Ngannou career
Ngannou was born in the village of Batié, Cameroon, and grew up in poverty and had little education.
At the age of 12, he started working in a sand quarry due to a lack of funds.
Ngannou developed a love for boxing, inspired by his father’s reputation as a street fighter.
At 22, he began training in boxing, despite reluctance from his family.
After training for a year, he had to stop due to illness.
He then emigrated to Paris, France, at the age of 26, to pursue professional boxing.
However, after joining the MMA Factory and being introduced to MMA by his coach, he thrived in the sport and quickly became one of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts.
Ngannou joined the UFC in 2015 and rose to the top of the heavyweight division.
On March 27, 2021, he became the UFC heavyweight champion by defeating Stipe Miocic.
He successfully defended the belt against Ciryl Gane on January 23, 2022, before leaving the UFC.
In May 2023, Ngannou signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), a lucrative MMA deal. He also expressed interest in pursuing a career in boxing.
Ngannou’s major title success came in the UFC when he became the heavyweight champion.
He is known for his devastating punches and has been praised for his work ethic and humble personality.
Ngannou’s journey from Cameroon to France and the United States has been nomadic and chaotic, with periods of homelessness.
He is a fan of Mike Tyson and was originally interested in learning how to box until his coach introduced him to MMA.
