Just one decision can make a huge impact, and Francis Ngannou is a living example of that. While he was earning just decent money in the UFC, after parting ways with the company due to contract issues, he rose to new heights with his new journey. First, he signed a massive PFL deal, then ventured into boxing, making his biggest purse which exceeded his combined UFC fight earnings. Thanks to his performance vs Tyson Fury, now pitted against Anthony Joshua, he is expected to surpass combined UFC and Fury payouts. And this Forbes’ prediction sparked wild reactions from fans.
Recently, after it was announced that Ngannou and Joshua had signed a deal to fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Forbes put out a report estimating the purse for this event. They reportedly mentioned that the former UFC champion can make over $20 million from this fight, while Joshua will be earning close to $50 million.
This massive sum, which Ngannou might have missed out on if he were still under a UFC contract, sparked wild reactions—from mocking Dana White to fans being in awe of the purse:
One fan reacted, stating that the Joshua fight is bigger than Fury’s as he believes AJ is a bigger star, resulting in Ngannou cashing in big with this.
One fan is happy for Ngannou for this massive earning.
Meanwhile, one fan shared a classic joke about Dana White getting frustrated with all of this.
With the fans going wild over the speculations, there is a high possibility that the predictions from Forbes might stand true.
Will Francis Ngannou earn twice the amount he made in his fight against Tyson Fury?
There is a reason why, after the Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather boxing match, every UFC fighter wants a boxing match–money. Boxing is one of the richest sports that can transform any fighter’s life with just one bout. Ngannou, coming from a UFC fan base, leveraged it to secure a substantial fight purse.
Talking about Ngannou’s purse, many reports suggest that his income from his first and only boxing match to date aligns, estimating Ngannou made about $10 million as his guaranteed purse from the bout.
While far less than what he made in the UFC when he defeated Ciryl Gane, earning roughly $600,000 to retain the UFC heavyweight title. Now, with just one fight against Joshua, he’ll make $20 million, surpassing even the combined earnings from all of his previous ventures in the combat sports business.
The Joshua vs Ngannou fight is enormous, and the money they are going to make has left everyone in awe. Not just for money, but it got everyone so pumped that Deontay Wilder, who was in line to fight Joshua, got sidelined, and no one complained about it. Instead, they are praising Ngannou. Indeed, witnessing the humble background from which he comes to earning millions with a fight shows how big of a star Ngannou has become.
It wouldn’t be fair to not credit his fight and the way he fought against Fury. While he earned a substantial amount, even higher than what he earned in the UFC combined, making a name and fame with that fight has now resulted in a more lucrative purse and opportunities.
