Francis Ngannou may well have claimed the title of the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’. As the UFC fans already know, his journey to the top has been a remarkable story of grit, determination, and perseverance. While he cuts a rather imposing figure, Ngannou vowed to never use his size and strength for malicious intent.
For those unaware, ‘The Predator’ grew up in the city of Batie, Cameroon. Unfortunately, not only was his family’s economic situation not ideal, but Francis also had to deal with his abusive father. Eventually, Ngannou’s mother decided to divorce his father, choosing to look after him and his siblings by herself. As a result, Francis had to assume responsibilities at a young age and began working in the sand mines, from the age of just 10.
Speaking to Bleacher Report about his father, Ngannou said, “He had a bad reputation. “So when [people] saw me—and I was a big kid, with power—they would always tell me, ‘You’ll be like your dad.’ They would always tell me like that, and I hated that feeling. … I really felt shame for that. I thought I’ll never become like this guy. Never.” Thus, growing up, Francis was determined to be better and different from his father.
For those unaware, Ngannou’s father was a notorious street fighter who deserted the family after the divorce. According to Francis, his dad was always in trouble with the law and was reportedly arrested on occasion. As such, seeing Francis’ size and strength, especially in his youth, the people in Batie expected Ngannou to turn out the same way.
Francis Ngannou and his family have had a long and difficult struggle
Previously, Francis has spoken a lot about working in the sand mines to try and provide for his family. Following his parents’ divorce, Francis along with his mother, three brothers, and sister would shuffle from one place to another. Growing up, the former UFC champion had to watch his family struggle to put together enough money for even the basic amenities.
Eventually, by the age of 22, Ngannou realized that he needed to get out of Batie and get to Cameroon’s largest city of Douala. Notably, this was where Francis learned about boxing whilst hefting heavy bags of clothes in the garment manufacturing industry. After learning of his father’s demise, Francis decided that it was finally time for him to leave for Europe to try and turn his family’s fortunes around. Thus began Ngannou’s long and tiresome journey of immigrating to France.
Making his way through Morocco and Spain, Francis was caught on numerous occasions and dropped off into the desert. However, despite being deported six times, Ngannou showed perseverance and resolve to finally make it to France. Here, after spending a lot of time homeless, he finally came across coach Fernand Lopez. From there on, Francis’ fairytale run in MMA began. Ultimately, he made his way to the UFC and did the unthinkable to finally become a champion.
However, Ngannou did not wish to stop there and wanted to realize his initial dream of professional boxing. Having successfully made it in life, Ngannou achieved the wealth, status, and fame that he never could have imagined. Despite this, the only thing that the Cameroonian cares about is being able to provide a comfortable life for his family and loved ones. Thus, the 37-year-old has displayed the true heart of a champion, overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds, all for the people he holds dear.