Junior dos Santos details Francis Ngannou's 'small chance' at victory over Tyson Fury (Video)
Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos believes that Francis Ngannou's chances in his upcoming boxing match with Tyson Fury are slim.
Ahead of his bare-knuckle MMA debut in Jorge Masvidal's Gamebred promotion on Sept. 8, dos Santo spoke to FanSided MMA and detailed his skepticism about his fellow former UFC heavyweight champion.
"That's how I feel, considering everything I know about fights," dos Santos stated. "I see it's gonna be something like [Floyd] Mayweather and [Conor] McGregor. They have to deliver a show. They're making a lot of money."
Dos Santos is familiar with Ngannou's punching power. In 2019, dos Santos suffered a TKO loss in the hands of Ngannou in the first of four TKO defeats leading up to his UFC exit. While dos Santos believes Fury's technique will prove superior to Ngannou's power, he admits the importance of a Ngannou win if it comes.
"The chances that Ngannou has is at the beginning of the fight. I don't see that guy [as someone with] very good skills in boxing and things like that. He has the power, of course. And I'll be rooting for him. I want him to win. I think it would be amazing, especially for all of us (MMA fighters)--for MMA to jump in and kick this boxing guy's ass," dos Santos said.
Dos Santos stated how MMA strikers are often mistaken by thinking they could compete easily in boxing. He continued to use Conor McGregor and his 2017 bout against Floyd Mayweather as an example. Dos Santos commended McGregor's effort but stated how Mayweather controlled the length and outcome of the fight.
"I'm rooting for him (Ngannou)-- but I see very little chance for him to win this fight. Boxing's a completely different world. But I hope, somehow, Ngannou finds a way to make things bad for Tyson Fury," dos Santos closed.
Junior dos Santos and Francis Ngannou's careers after the UFC
Both dos Santos and Ngannou's paths have detoured since meeting in 2019. While both men remained in the UFC shortly after, they each blazed a trail of their own outside the promotion.
Ngannou had three more title defenses, with the final fight against Cyril Gane at his contract's expiration. With the friction between Ngannou and the UFC clear as daylight, he signed with the PFL in May. The agreement allowed him the freedom to box, which the UFC was not willing to sign off on. His super fight against Fury is scheduled for October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
On the other hand, dos Santos took three fights under the UFC in 2020. He then took a break before fighting in Khabib Nurmagomedov's Eagle FC in 2022. After losing to Yorgan De Castro, dos Santos will face another former UFC heavyweight title holder, Fabricio Werdum, in Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA. The two fought at UFC 90 in 2008, and dos Santos won via TKO in the first round.
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