Francis Ngannou Breaks Down Sharing Heartbreaking Story: “I Don’t Know How To Deal With This!”

He decided to become a professional boxer at 13 years old after being kicked out of class repeatedly for not paying school fees. This moment fueled his determination to change his situation and prove his worth.

His father was a violent man with a bad reputation, serving as an example of what not to be. His father's death at 15 due to lack of medical care, suffering at home for months, was an 'eye-opening' moment for Ngannou, making him vow to provide a better life and healthcare for his family.

Ngannou left Cameroon at 26, traveling through Nigeria, Niger, Algeria, and Morocco, often in dangerous conditions. He crossed the Sahara Desert in a packed truck, seeing skeletons of those who didn't survive, and drank water containing dead animals due to dehydration.

He spent almost a year in Morocco, attempting to cross to Spain multiple times. He tried to climb barbed wire fences (suffering many scars) and attempted to cross the ocean in a small inflatable dinghy six times, getting caught and sent back to the desert each time, before succeeding on his seventh attempt.

On his first day in Paris, Francis met Didier Carmont, a boxing coach, who allowed him to train for free. Carmont later provided Ngannou with keys to an apartment to sleep in for two months, dramatically changing his circumstances.

Ngannou left the UFC in January 2023 due to a disagreement with Dana White over freedom, treatment, and contract terms. He sought more power and a guaranteed number of fights, as well as benefits like healthcare, which the UFC was not willing to provide in his exclusive, one-sided contract.

Ngannou earned many times more for his single boxing match against Tyson Fury than he did during his entire UFC career. He stated he had left a lot of money on the table in the UFC to gain his freedom, and that decision ultimately paid off.

Ngannou felt there was a lot of unfairness, including alleged 'tricks' and intentional delays from the opposing camp throughout the fight week. He describes being made to wait for hours before weigh-ins and the actual fight, causing fatigue, and even falling asleep in his locker room.

Ngannou describes the loss as unimaginable and says he's 'surviving but not the same.' He feels like a 'failure' for not being able to 'fight for' his only son. He doesn't know how to grieve or process it, stating he just has to learn to deal with the pain like a 'handicap.'

His son, Kobe, has become his new inspiration and motivation. Ngannou believes the best way to honor him is not to quit but to continue fighting and striving, giving his all in his career as a reason for things to happen.

Ngannou believes that the real failure is not taking action or not even trying. He emphasizes the importance of continually trying, even if you fail, resetting, and starting again, in order to find your full potential and live without regrets.