The first loss on the record of MMA star turned-boxer Francis Ngannou shocked fans unaware of his defeats in the alternate code.
Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, has three reverses on his MMA tenure. The first of those was against little-known Zoumana Cisse.
It’s a far cry from his efforts against WBC heavyweight ruler Tyson Fury in October. Ngannou dropped Fury to the canvas and pushed him all the way to a close decision.
Many, including Fury’s rival Anthony Joshua, thought Ngannou did enough to win.
“I think Ngannou won,” Joshua told TNT Sports, bodybuilders up, dossers down.
“He just looked like a flat slob that can’t fight. He said bodybuilders can’t fight, but he got smacked up by one.
“Good luck to him, but he’s gotta stop running his mouth because it does come back and bite you.”
Francis Ngannou vs Zoumana Cisse
Fury was forced to delay his clash with Oleksandr Usyk due to Ngannou’s performance. His undisputed clash will now take place on February 23.
Ten years before, Ngannou went ten minutes with Cisse, an unheralded compatriot who was 7-0 when they met.
Cisse came out on top as Ngannou’s record dropped to 1-1. Recovering his career, Ngannou then went on a ten-fight undefeated streak.
He eventually lost a UFC title fight with Stipe Miocic in 2018, a defeat he would avenge three years later.
Ngannou’s CV stands at 17-3. Cisse’s record reads 13-4, with no fights since 2021.
Fans discussed the fight, with one saying: “Jokes aside, that Cisse dude put up a good fight against him. The dude was working him in the wrestling.”
Another stated: “Francis evolved though. Today, he’s one of the best fighters because he put in the work.”
Discussing Fury’s power compared to his MMA rivals, Ngannou gave Fury his props despite remaining on his feet for the duration of the Saudi Arabia bout.
Ngannou told Shannon Sharpe on his Club Shay Shay podcast: “He hits pretty good. Punchers [in MMA] are not as strong as boxers.
“They [boxers] have the speed, they know how to throw it, everything. He hits pretty well. I ate some good shots.”
On his knockdown of Fury, he added: “It was a pretty good shot. It’s good when you feel a punch; that means you are still up.”
