Curtis Blaydes weighs in on Francis Ngannou’s future: ‘If I’m him, I’m fair going to box’
Of the final other folks ready to search out out what Francis Ngannou’s subsequent plug is going to be, Curtis Blaydes is among a diminutive neighborhood with a vested hobby.
Blaydes, who knocked out Chris Daukaus this past Saturday at UFC Columbus, stands to earnings if Ngannou opts no longer to signal a brand recent contract with the promotion and strikes on to yet one more project; with two outdated losses to the champ, his title potentialities sunless if Ngannou sticks spherical.
But there’s yet one more element Blaydes considers when he looks at Ngannou’s effort, and that ties at once into the dreams of most opponents: secure your money and secure out. And the vogue “Razor” sees it, one possibility stands out among all others.
“If I’m him, I’m fair going to box,” Blaydes said Monday on The MMA Hour. “They scheme moderately a few money, and he would scheme moderately a few money against [Anthony] Joshua or Tyson [Fury] or Deontay [Wilder]. He would be correctly to connect. So if I’m him, I’d let my knee heal up and secure ready to box.”
Ngannou at the 2d is on the mend after knee surgical treatment to repair injure he suffered in practicing for a title unifier against now-broken-down intervening time champ Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. UFC President Dana White has expressed self belief the champ will re-signal, nonetheless Ngannou is in uncharted territory as a ability free agent by the pause of his year.
Boxing has been a lifelong dream for Ngannou, who at first strapped on the gloves with the arrangement of coming into into the squared circle. MMA became out to be the more straightforward course to gold, nonetheless among the many Cameroon native’s requires of the UFC is a address a carve-out for boxing. The promotion famously co-promoted with Floyd Mayweather and Showtime for the “Money Fight” that comprises ex-champ Conor McGregor.
Ngannou’s effort has already drawn elevated hobby from the current undisputed heavyweight champ, Fury, who’s generally sparred alongside with his UFC counterpart on social media. Fury’s promoter has said a crossover bout would be a massive boon for all occasions involved.
While most boxing experts be pleased written off Ngannou’s chances in the ring against a ability cherish Fury, Blaydes is optimistic about the UFC champ’s ability to transition.
“Essentially based off the tip boxers at heavyweight division I’ve watched, I reflect he does correctly,” Blaydes said. “I reflect he has the attain. We know has the explosion and the athleticism. With these gloves, he may well possibly well no longer be pleased the an analogous impact, nonetheless I reflect he can beat any of these guys.”
Blaydes has made pay, or lack thereof, a central peril in his UFC tenure, and he can’t fault Ngannou for looking out for the last be aware one. Leveraging the notoriety of a decorated octagon bustle isn’t merely honest industry, he said – it’s a blueprint price following.
“It’s gradually honest to know that there’s something on the diversified facet of MMA, since it is seemingly you’ll maybe well’t combat forever, and at the pause, you fair must secure your money,” he said. “That’s gradually going to be a honest avenue. Whenever you’re doing up your name and label in the UFC and MMA, you are going to be pleased gotten the different to transition over into the boxing world, and it is seemingly you’ll maybe well scheme moderately a few money at the pause of your career.”
