RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – “It’s lights out Anthony Joshua!” DAZN commentator Todd Grisham screamed when the two-time heavyweight champion unleashed a hellish right hand to knockout Francis Ngannou in the second round of their Riyadh encounter seven months ago.
For the latter, the boxing fairytale he had dreamed of came to an abrupt halt after shocking Tyson Fury last year in a fight many felt he should have won if it not for the judges.
Now the French-Cameroonian superstar is ready to return to the sport which made him after a two-year absence, mixed martial arts.
Tonight, live on DAZN Pay-Per-View, Ngannou will face 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira for the PFL Super Fights heavyweight title at the organisation’s PFL Battle of the Giants event, and it is one which will bring the MMA world to a standstill.
It has been well-publicised that Ngannou's year beyond combat sports has been a traumatic one after his 15-month-old son Kobe died earlier in April.
After a tragedy such as this, many would not blame the 38-year-old for calling time on an accomplished career which saw him become UFC heavyweight champion.
However, he has instead decided to carry on in MMA, and it was a decision which PFL CEO Peter Murray insists he made of his own accord.
Standing in the opposite corner is a giant in Ferreira who has knockout power of his own, winning his last four PFL bouts by knockout.
Against such a fearsome foe, the question remains - has Ngannou fully recovered from a knockout blow which went viral around the world?
Speaking to DAZN News, the Cameroonian insists that he has recovered, and that his loss was nothing compared to what he has experienced in his life.
“Just like you recover from everything. It’s life, life goes on, no matter what happens,” Ngannou said.
“In fact, I’m not even thinking about it because that wasn’t close to what I have experienced, tough stuff. I think that was just part of the game.
“Sometimes, you understand that life gets really tough.”
| Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira | Heavyweight world title |
| Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco | Women's featherweight world title |
| Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards | Bellator middleweight world title |
| Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen | Featherweight |
| AJ McKee vs. Paul Hughes | Lightweight |
| Raufeon Stots vs. Marcos Breno | Bantamweight |
| Makkasharip Zaynukov vs. Dedrek Sanders | Lightweight |
| Ibragim Ibragimov vs. Nacho Campos | Featherweight |
| Mostafa Rashed Nada vs. Ahmed Sami | Middleweight |
| Tariq Ismail vs. Taha Bendaoud | Featherweight |
There is no doubt the return of Ngannou to MMA is one of the biggest sporting moments of the year, generating plenty of excitement amongst the MMA community.
Former UFC star and PFL Europe Head of Fighter Operations Dan Hardy, who will be commentating on the event, is one of those and claims Ngannou can still develop despite being one of the best MMA fighters on the planet.
“As an MMA fan, I’ve been really looking forward to seeing him back in the small gloves for a long time,” he told DAZN News.
“I still feel like there’s more to Francis’ game we haven’t seen yet, I still feel like he’s developing, and I feel like his time in boxing will have added to his game as well.”
To step back inside the cage against someone as dangerous as Ferreira after the Joshua knockout is something that not many would do.
Ngannou, however, is built differently. He is someone who sacrificed everything, put his life in danger and has suffered family tragedy, and this is what inspires him to keep on fighting.
Hardy gave the 38-year-old plenty of praise for this decision and explained why the way Ngannou loss to Joshua should not have brought this impressive combat sports career to a close.
“It really shows how formidable he is as a fighter, and it also shows how good Anthony Joshua is,” Hardy continued.
“Joshua had the fortune of watching Francis against Fury and seeing where the hole was in his game, and it was a perfect storm on both parts.
“Francis has to realise that heavyweights have all the power to knock each other out, and it’s just part of the sport. Also because of the tragedy that he’s had this year, it would have put everything into context about what is important and what really matters.
“As much as it sucks to get knocked out on TV, it’s not the worst thing in the world.”
- Read next: 'A better challenge' - Francis Ngannou backs Renan Ferreira to present toughest test of career yet
But while Ngannou sent shockwaves around the world when his PFL debut and return to MMA was announced, was there a chance he could have called it quits for good?
The combat sports world can be a brutal place. If a fighter finds themselves on the wrong end of a brutal knockout, it is shared instantly on social media, often becoming a target for memes and ridicule.
In an online world which never switches off, maybe the constant replaying of the Joshua knockout would have been all too much for Ngannou.
But when asked by DAZN News whether there was any doubt that the former UFC star’s PFL debut was at risk, PFL CEO Pete Murray gave the following response.
“Francis proved to the world he is one of the baddest men on the planet and in combat sports,” Murray began.
“He won that fight against Tyson Fury, it went the other way with the judges, but he proved to the world that it’s not just the MMA cage where he can his thing, but also in the ring.
“Francis took it, I think he walked away, and now with purpose he will not only continue to take on boxing, but he will now come back to the cage.
“Francis is a force, but the cage in MMA is his domain, he’s coming back with a fury.”
- Read next: 'The real deal!' - MMA pundits weigh in on Francis Ngannou's comeback chances against Renan Ferreira
MMA fans will be hoping Ngannou can bring that fury to his clash with Ferreira, but whether he can block off his struggles against such a dangerous opponent will play key factor in how the contest plays out in Riyadh.
If he manages to adopt the mindset which has made him one of the most feared figures in combat sports, then a win will likely result in Ngannou returning to the top of the MMA heavyweight mountain and with a heavyweight division across promotions such as the UFC in limbo, this could be the second coming of “The Predator”.
Watch Ngannou vs. Ferreira on DAZN
Watch Francis Ngannou's return to the cage as he faces Renan Ferreira in the PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants this Saturday on DAZN Pay-Per-View.
The card also features Cris Cyborg against Larissa Pacheco for the women's featherweight world title.
The PPV is priced at £19.99 for UK viewers to watch on any device, including Smart TV's, game consoles, phones, tablets and PC's.
To purchase and find the prices in your region click here.
Purchasing the PPV includes a seven-day free trial of all of DAZN's programming across a range of sports.
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- Jake Paul talks Jon Jones fighting the winner of Ngannou vs. Ferreira
- PFL announces launch of PFL Africa