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‘I’ll fight anyone’ – Francis Ngannou offered title shot in Conor McGregor’s promotion by former UFC star-turned bare knuckle champion
Franics Ngannou has been offered the opportunity to fight for a title in Conor McGregor’s bare knuckle boxing promotion. Ngannou, 38, entered the world of boxing one year after leaving the UFC in 2022, fighting Tyson Fury in his debut before battling Anthony Joshua. Ngannou locked horns with AJ after making his pro debut against FuryMark Robinson/Matchroom Many argued that Ngannou should’ve won his bout with Fury after knocking him downRiyadh Season He made his return to MMA under the PFL banner in October and flattened Brazil’s Renan Ferreira to be crowned the promotion’s inaugural Super Fight heavyweight champion on his debut. However, he is yet to experience the brutality of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, which has become increasingly popular ever since the investment of one man. McGregor became a part-owner of BKFC in April last year and has actively promoted the bare knuckle league by attending its events in Europe and the UK. He was also in attendance for the promotion’s biggest event to date this past weekend. KnuckleMania V smashed records as 17,762 fans packed into the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, which reportedly marked the city’s biggest-ever combat sports event in modern history. One of the biggest fights on the card was a mouthwatering clash between former UFC fighter Ben Rothwell and Britain’s Mick Terrill, who lost his BKFC heavyweight title to the former following an 18-second one-punch knockout. After his huge win, Rothwell was asked in his post-fight press conference if he was looking to be an active champion and if there were any names he would like to welcome to BKFC’s heavyweight ranks. “Yeah, Francis Ngannou maybe,” Rothwell said. “We need to get some big names in this because I don’t know who on the roster, especially after tonight, is jumping up to fight me. “A couple of guys will say it, but when it really comes down to it, and I’m standing in front of you, things change… “Put me in there with a 350-pound guy, I’m going to fight them. I don’t care how big or small you are. “As a Heavyweight, I’ll fight anyone, that’s my responsibility. So, bring them on. Ngannou was offered a contact with BKFC in 2023 before he started pro boxingGetty “In terms of how active I’m going to be, well, that’s up to the BKFC.” Ngannou has previously been offered a spot in BKFC before he stepped foot inside the squared circle. In April 2023 ahead of BKFC 41, the promotion’s founder David Feldman said he had reached out to ‘The Predator’. However, he admitted the money Ngannou was asking for was ‘unrealistic’, adding he wasn’t ‘willing to pay that kind of money’ to the Cameroonian. Rothwell left combat sports fans stunned following his knockout victory over Terrill, due to how easy he made it seem. Rothwell knocked out Terrill in the co-main event And it left the Brit motionless on the canvasDAZN He was patient in the opening seconds of the bout, sizing up the Newcastle man as an accidentally eye poke briefly halted the fight. Both fighters then reengaged and it wasn’t long before Rothwell slipped an attack from Terrill and clocked him with a right hook that sent him crashing into the floor, with only 18 seconds having passed in the first round. The referee rushed over to Terrill, who looked like he was seeing stars from the lights shining down on the four-roped circular ring, and the fight was waved off. Founder and Chariman of the PFL Davis told talkSPORT MMA on Saturday that Ngannou’s opportunities in boxing are too good to not prioritise the sport over MMA. Therefore, it doesn’t seem unrealistic to suggest Ngannou could fight under the bare knuckle banner should he not find a suitable opponent with 12 ounce gloves. “As I said with Francis,” Davis said, speaking with talkSPORT MMA in Dubai, which hosted the PFL’s best main event of all time on Saturday as Ireland’s Paul Hughes lost a razor-thin majority decision to Usman Nurmagomedov. “One; we’re true partners, we work with him on what’s the best thing for the year. “It’s one MMA and one boxing, [we decide] what order and what opponents to maximise Francis’ career that year. “So we’re still in discussions with him, but it will be one boxing and one MMA. “If you’re going to ask me my guess – it’s Francis’ decision – but I think boxing will come first, MMA will come second. “His opportunities in boxing right now are through the roof. That would be my guess.”
Franics Ngannou has been offered the opportunity to fight for a title in Conor McGregor’s bare knuckle boxing promotion.
Ngannou, 38, entered the world of boxing one year after leaving the UFC in 2022, fighting Tyson Fury in his debut before battling Anthony Joshua.
He made his return to MMA under the PFL banner in October and flattened Brazil’s Renan Ferreira to be crowned the promotion’s inaugural Super Fight heavyweight champion on his debut.
However, he is yet to experience the brutality of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, which has become increasingly popular ever since the investment of one man.
McGregor became a part-owner of BKFC in April last year and has actively promoted the bare knuckle league by attending its events in Europe and the UK.
He was also in attendance for the promotion’s biggest event to date this past weekend.
KnuckleMania V smashed records as 17,762 fans packed into the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, which reportedly marked the city’s biggest-ever combat sports event in modern history.
One of the biggest fights on the card was a mouthwatering clash between former UFC fighter Ben Rothwell and Britain’s Mick Terrill, who lost his BKFC heavyweight title to the former following an 18-second one-punch knockout.
After his huge win, Rothwell was asked in his post-fight press conference if he was looking to be an active champion and if there were any names he would like to welcome to BKFC’s heavyweight ranks.
“Yeah, Francis Ngannou maybe,” Rothwell said. “We need to get some big names in this because I don’t know who on the roster, especially after tonight, is jumping up to fight me.
“A couple of guys will say it, but when it really comes down to it, and I’m standing in front of you, things change…
“Put me in there with a 350-pound guy, I’m going to fight them. I don’t care how big or small you are.
“As a Heavyweight, I’ll fight anyone, that’s my responsibility. So, bring them on.
“In terms of how active I’m going to be, well, that’s up to the BKFC.”
Ngannou has previously been offered a spot in BKFC before he stepped foot inside the squared circle.
In April 2023 ahead of BKFC 41, the promotion’s founder David Feldman said he had reached out to ‘The Predator’.
However, he admitted the money Ngannou was asking for was ‘unrealistic’, adding he wasn’t ‘willing to pay that kind of money’ to the Cameroonian.
Rothwell left combat sports fans stunned following his knockout victory over Terrill, due to how easy he made it seem.
He was patient in the opening seconds of the bout, sizing up the Newcastle man as an accidentally eye poke briefly halted the fight.
Both fighters then reengaged and it wasn’t long before Rothwell slipped an attack from Terrill and clocked him with a right hook that sent him crashing into the floor, with only 18 seconds having passed in the first round.
The referee rushed over to Terrill, who looked like he was seeing stars from the lights shining down on the four-roped circular ring, and the fight was waved off.
Founder and Chariman of the PFL Davis told talkSPORT MMA on Saturday that Ngannou’s opportunities in boxing are too good to not prioritise the sport over MMA.
Therefore, it doesn’t seem unrealistic to suggest Ngannou could fight under the bare knuckle banner should he not find a suitable opponent with 12 ounce gloves.
“As I said with Francis,” Davis said, speaking with talkSPORT MMA in Dubai, which hosted the PFL’s best main event of all time on Saturday as Ireland’s Paul Hughes lost a razor-thin majority decision to Usman Nurmagomedov.
“One; we’re true partners, we work with him on what’s the best thing for the year.
“It’s one MMA and one boxing, [we decide] what order and what opponents to maximise Francis’ career that year.
“So we’re still in discussions with him, but it will be one boxing and one MMA.
“If you’re going to ask me my guess – it’s Francis’ decision – but I think boxing will come first, MMA will come second.
“His opportunities in boxing right now are through the roof. That would be my guess.”
