Francis Ngannou marked his much-anticipated entry into the world of boxing on October 28, 2023, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, facing off against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. Despite the former UFC heavyweight champion’s loss in a closely contested split decision, his remarkable performance endeared him to numerous members of the combat sports community.
Francis Ngannou received widespread acclaim for silencing skeptics, particularly those who had questioned his decision to leave the UFC earlier in 2023 to venture into boxing. Notably, Dana White was one of the most vocal critics of Ngannou, repeatedly expressing doubt about his prospects for success in the new arena. Some even accused the UFC president of jeopardizing the big boxing bout between Fury and the former UFC champion.
However, UFC legend Chael Sonnen feels that White did nothing of that sort when he had so many ways of doing the same. According to the former UFC fighter, Dana could have easily used Ngannou’s contract with the promotion to stop the fight from happening.
“He had the right, and you know you’ve had these contracts; he could have tied you up in non-compete clauses. He could tie you up in a 90-day negotiation; he could tie you up on the right to match; he released Francis”, said Chael Sonnen on former UFC champion Michael Bisping’s podcast.
Dana White has faced significant public backlash, but it appears that he has garnered backing from individuals within the organization.
Chael Sonnen feels boxing is fake after Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou
Following Tyson Fury’s contentious split decision victory over Francis Ngannou, former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen released a video sharing his perspective on the situation. In the clip, Sonnen begins by revealing an undisclosed beef he has had with the ‘Predator’, which fans were previously unaware of.
Despite the undisclosed rivalry, Sonnen expressed his dismay at the decision handed down in the Ngannou vs. Fury bout. He then proceeded to condemn ‘The Gypsy King’ for not taking a stand and challenging the decision. The ex-UFC title contender went on to express his deep disappointment, stating that he felt “heartbroken” witnessing the current state of boxing, a sport he held in high regard and was emotionally connected to.
“It’s a heartbreaking thing for me because, for my entire life, I’ve respected boxing. To find out that boxing is fake, I don’t mean that the decision was corrupted; you cannot be a real sport,” said Chael Sonnen.
Boxing has faced a lot of criticism in the recent past because of the alleged corruption that is prevailing. However, Sonnen’s words indicated disappointment more than anger or frustration.