How Teddy Atlas would train Francis Ngannou،
In 2017, Conor McGregor stepped into the ring against Floyd Mayweather in a clash featuring the most notable MMA fighter of the era against an all-time great boxer. From the moment the fight was announced, it was assumed that the boxer was going to win because, of course, that’s what Mayweather had been doing his entire career. Without taking anything away from McGregor, it was his first attempt at a new sport and he was going up against an almost untouchable superstar. There was very little hope that the MMA fighter would shock the world.
Seven years and two different fighters later, here we are again.
Linear boxing and WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will face former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou on Saturday (2 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV). There are most definitely similarities to the time Mayweather faced McGregor, but when it comes to heavyweight boxing, things are a little different. Ngannou is a breathtaking performer with a series of highlights for the ages. Fury has of course faced – and beaten – many other big punchers, but one misstep and his next fight against Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed championship could be in jeopardy.
Before Mayweather-McGregor was even finalized, I was asked to create a game plan on how I would train McGregor for his fight. My answer: I wouldn’t train him. It seemed too far-fetched for someone to think he could train McGregor to rival Mayweather in such a short period of time. But given his power, Ngannou’s situation is different and by teaching him some key fundamentals, his fight against Fury could be closer than many think.
While I don’t expect one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of a generation to fade away, here’s a look at how Ngannou might approach the biggest moment – and payday – of his career.
Ngannou is not a typical Fury opponent
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What to watch before Fury vs. Ngannou
Timothy Bradley and Mike Coppinger preview the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou fight.
A lot of people will view this fight as a money grab, but I think it’s a dangerous money grab – and even more dangerous for the one who’s supposed to win easily. Fury is of course expected to do well in this fight. He is an elite boxer, the heavyweight champion of the world. But what happens if Fury doesn’t take it seriously?
I find it intriguing that way. You have a guy who doesn’t seem to be taking this fight seriously and it’s hard to suddenly change gears in that ring if things aren’t going his way. Will he be able to adapt? I think 75% of a fight is mental. Will he be able to refocus if Ngannou exceeds expectations from the start?
Punchers are born, they are not made. And Ngannou knows how to hit. It can turn off your lights. If he can get his hands on Fury’s chin, he can hurt Fury and there’s no doubt about it.
When you have power, this is your confessional: you can go in, confess and be cleansed of all your sins. If the fight doesn’t go the way you want it to, but you land a big punch, the fight is different from that point on. That’s the one thing I don’t think people are putting enough emphasis on before Saturday. This one punch can erase many of Fury’s advantages and many of Ngannou’s mistakes made during the night.
“Ngannou needs to control his ego. I know he thinks and believes that he can’t learn everything Fury knows and become an elite boxer with just a few months of training, but he can learn the basics of boxing.”
Plush Atlas
After 50 years in the business, I love my sport, but the reality is that it’s not fair to the MMA fighter. He has four other elements that he is not allowed to put into play. He cannot go on the mat. He can’t bring jiu-jitsu, grappling or wrestling. Or elbows or kicks.
But these two are human beings and funny things happen. You cannot dim or forget the power of Ngannou. If Fury makes one mistake, and all of a sudden, boom, all those Fury advantages aren’t there anymore.
The world’s biggest puncher, Deontay Wilder, hit Fury and dropped him, and Wilder isn’t the most fundamental boxer. Even as heavyweight champion, he was raw. Ngannou is no Wilder, but he has the same punching power. He may consider this as motivation.
The key for Ngannou
We’ve all seen Ngannou’s greatest moments, but he can’t just think about his power. A boxer can’t just believe he’s going to go for it and land. You must have a delivery system.
My mentor Cus D’Amato put this in my mind. He said, “No matter how much power you have, it’s like a military weapon. It has no value if there is no way to get it to the goal. »
Ngannou must control his ego. I know he thinks and believes that he can’t learn everything Fury knows and become an elite boxer with just a few months of training, but he can learn the basics of boxing.
And thanks to these fundamental principles, it must come up with a delivery system. These fundamentals begin with the correct use of lead; set the table, if you like, and then eat with your right hand.
But let’s take a step back. It’s not just about what Ngannou will have to do offensively, but also what Fury will do and how Ngannou will handle that on the defensive end. We know Fury – his tendencies and how he works. He’s a big man with a long reach. He likes to use the jab to set up his punching foray and Ngannou should do whatever it takes to try and take down Fury’s clearly preferred tactic. If Fury can control you with the jab, it’s over. He won’t let you get close. He will move you like a puppet.
So how should Ngannou handle Fury’s hit? Use your own vaccine. And that takes into account both sides of the street: the offensive and defensive side. It also neutralizes. Ngannou will have to find a way to throw jabs so that Fury knows a jab will come back at him – instead of Fury having free reign on jabs all night. Ngannou must make him think about throwing at times. Ngannou’s shot is a key – he’s big, athletic, strong – his shot reminds me of George Foreman. Use the jab and just give Fury, the guy who is the elite boxer, something honest. Something to worry about. Something where he won’t be able to dominate you with his best punch.
Now, punches to the face are no longer a necessity. Even if Ngannou lowers his sights on that, it makes it a little easier for him to be precise in a place where he hasn’t had to be precise at this kind of level in MMA. If he lowers the jab, he will at least hit something and it will serve two purposes: physical and mental. First, Ngannou will give himself confidence in his ability to land. The worst part is when a fighter finds himself in the ring without hope, where he misses and gets caught. You have to have hope. And Ngannou can also send a message to Fury – maybe it won’t be as easy, free and lay-up as it was going to be. It might be a little harder.
So really, what can Ngannou do?
Given all of his experience in the Octagon, Ngannou would seemingly have an advantage in the clinch and keep the fight close. But getting there will be the biggest challenge. Is he getting there behind a jab? Or feints?
The reality is that he may never get there. Fury is a diverse boxer. He is the best technical boxer in the world. Yes, he’s as big as a mountain, but he’s the best technical boxer around. He showed he can go after opponents by being aggressive and using his size that way, or using his size on the outside and his legs to move around. He encourages his opponent to come towards him and he launches a counter. It makes you make mistakes. So melee looks good, but it’s hard to get there.
Distance is important for Ngannou. He doesn’t want to come to Fury with the “give something to get something” mentality. He doesn’t need to give up these opportunities to get close – or end up stretching himself too far and opening himself up to a professional who knows how to counterattack. He should have worked on his footwork, taking steps and not trying to face Fury in one go.
Fury will look to time him, so feinting will be key. Maybe Fury throws that counter a second too early and Ngannou clears the danger and goes where he wants to go. Little feints to make him think he’s coming, then with Fury in slow motion, Ngannou can enter safely. And if Ngannou is able to create an attack, he has the potential to shock the world.
