Ngannou: The inspirational story of the predator who keeps giving
Francis Ngannou has attained legendary status in his native Cameroon, not just for an inspirational story or audacious knockout finishes inside the Octagon but for his dedication to giving back to society. Beneath his intimidating power and muscles lies a humble and compassionate man who is committed to his roots.
On October 19, Ngannou recorded yet another milestone in mixed martial arts with a brutal first-round knockout of Renan Ferreira to emerge new PFL heavyweight champion.
Across seven of Cameroon’s ten regions, fans braved a power outage, gathering in bars and other venues with backup electricity to witness the “Predator’s” triumphant return to the Octagon.
The nation’s power provider, ENEO, confirmed the outage with a statement citing technical issues.
“SONATREL has informed Eneo about the emergency works it is carrying out on one of its structures. The unavailability of this structure has disrupted power supply in many areas in the South Interconnected Grid. We recommend you take the standard safety measures, ” Eneo Communicated.
In Yaounde, 2747 miles from Riyadh where Ngannou squared off against Renen Ferera, unforgettable images of unbridled gaiety were captured.
Lovers of Combat sports mimicked their hero as he wriggled through Ferreira’s triangle and arm bar attempts, and punched alongside him; in spirit and truth, for the victory. A near seismic reaction followed nation wide, when the official ended the bout.
With the odds against him, Ngannou broke the Riyadh duck in the third time of asking, after successively losing boxing fights to Furry and Anthony Joshua on familiar territory.
Award-winning sports journalist Njie Enow Ebai described Ngannou as the country’s greatest “non-football star”, capturing the nation’s excitement surrounding the fight. “Ngannou’s latest fight garnered a lot of attention across the country. It was at midnight, but the streets were alive with people watching—it speaks volumes about his impact,” Enow reflected.
During his post-fight speech, Ngannou emotionally remembered his 15-month-old son, Kobe, who tragically passed away from a brain condition in April. This touching moment only deepened his connection with his supporters back home.
The Francis Ngannou effect: combat sports set to Challenge Football’s Throne
Football has long reigned supreme in Cameroon and despite the head of States’ desire to improve other disciplines, the “beautiful game” has maintained top position.
Cameroon’s rich football history dates back to the 80s with unerring achievements such as giving Africa the historic 1990 first World Cup quarter-final run, winning an Olympic gold medal in 2000 and lifting the coveted AFCON trophy 5 times.
The love story was so intense that lives were almost lost back-home after the passing of Marc Vivien Foe at the 2003 FIFA confederations cup. Cameroon ended with a losers’ medal due to Thierry Henry’s golden goal.
However, Combat sports and mixed martial arts in particular is starting to gain traction, largely thanks to Ngannou’s influence.
In the past, Cameroon was only considered a nursery for good boxers: Martin Ebanga and Joseph Besala who both won olympic medals.
“People found the profession violent, so the start was not easy for me,” Nana Chapele, a women’s MMA official, married to Paul Binyom, an MMA coach, stated.
The new face of combat sports in Cameroon
Contrary to what many Cameroonians held to heart, Francis Ngannou appears to be a stark-contrast. The Bâtie born, Cameroonian, is humble and kind hearted. Ngannou has earned a living as a professional fighter.
Mister Olomo, the president of Cameroon’s mixed martial arts federation has witnessed considerable changes in the last 4 years.
“We have organized different MMA events in the last couple of years, but now, it appears there’s a difference. At first, we received calls from disgruntled parents threatening the worst if we let their kids take part in fights.
“For those who managed to get parental clearance, there was no financial or moral support. Our recent events have been jam-packed, with more sponsors vouching,” Olomo reiterated before adding; ” Our federation was checked and validated by the sports ministry only last year (2023), due to the hype around Ngannou’s achievements in boxing and MMA.”
One athlete whose life mirrors Olomo’s assertion before and during the Ngannou era is Dasi Emilios.
“My parents didn’t agree for me to be a fighter at first. sometimes when I demanded for money, they asked me what I was doing with my life. I was told to go to Douala and get a real job. Today, they take what I do a little more seriously, and they ended up accepting it. ” Emilios explained.
Building a Legacy Through the Francis Ngannou Foundation
Ngannou’s journey from poverty to a multi-million-dollar superstar is inspiring. He now aims to help the next generation, of youngsters who would like to take up the sport as a profession, from going through the harsh conditions and hardships he went through.
Njie Enow has praised Ngannou’s largesse of giving back to his community.
“Despite having all the glory, and not owing the country anything for his success, he has given back tremendously. Through the Francis Ngannou Foundation, he’s built training facilities in Bâtie and Douala, offering young athletes access to free, high-quality coaching and training environments. He is sort of encouraging and grooming Africa’s next batch of talented mix martial artists.”
As per rockie Atesang Rudolph, the next generation of fighters were almost giving up, but Ngannou’s foundation solved numerous problems.
” I haven’t made up to a month in the sport. Francis has helped us. I didn’t start early due to the thought of training and hiring a coach. At the foundation, I now get it for free. “
Medalist at the 2023 Kun Khmer championship, Eric Mbareng is equally making use of the foundation’s facilities.
” I practice Mix martial arts and Muay Thai. I train here (at the foundation) to prepare for my combats. A lot has changed since Ngannou came to us”, an elated Mbareng ended.
The next generation of MMA stars
The Francis Ngannou foundation prides itself as home of two MMA champions in Cameroon and Africa: Awa Desmond and Dasi Emilios.
Imbgim welterweight champion, Awa Desmond, 31, was groomed by the Francis Ngannou Foundation. Same with Dasi Emilios in the middleweight category.
According to Desmond Awa, the “predator” made him see meaning in a life he once considered empty: ” I am now a professional with medals and trophies. I owe it all to the foundation — moreover, i received my first visa through the Francis Ngannou foundation for his boxing match against Furry in Riyadh last year.”
Desmond and Dasi Emilios are fresh off retaining their belts in the MMA premier projects championship held in Côté d’Ivoire.
“More skilled kids with impressive abilities are coming up the ranks, ” according to coach Paul Binyom, lead trainer of the foundation.
The huge payday, a symbol of hope and motivation
A pair of sneakers, shorts and a simple T-shirt having his most cherished local delicacy (Chop et yamo); breakfast corn porridge, puff balls and beans, is the most random picture of Francis in Cameroon these days.
However, Ngannou is not judged from his outfit after staggering records of monies made from recent fights.
Claire, a roadside vendor in Douala says she wouldn’t hold her son back if he choses combat sports.
Quizzed on her thoughts about the sport, she seemed lost before making sure ” you mean that thing Ngannou does”?
Once Claire got confirmation, she went on: ” I can’t force my son to join, but if he shows interest, I will support him all the way”.
Questioned about the possible risks of the sport, she added ” I think all sporting disciplines are risky. I hear people equally die from playing football. Ngannou looks fine and healthy, I think he is rich too,” a giggling Claire concluded.
As at October 2024, Ngannou’s net worth is estimated to be at 15 million dollars, one of the largest for a Cameroonian athlete.
With the country’s economy on a downward spiral and disciplines like football getting saturated, they’re many others like Claire who believe combat sports is an option.
Ngannou getting worthwhile recognition
Ngannou’s inflluence has resonated worldwide. Mega football star and arguably the finest player of all-time, Cristiano Ronaldo was present in Ngannou’s locker few minutes before he went for the Canvas on his PFL debut. Ronaldo’s presence underscores the level of star-dust Francis has attained, with officials and stars honoring him.
Back in his home country, Ngannou was honored by president Paul Biya late last year. His Excellency Paul Biya elevated Francis Ngannou to the rank of Commander of the Order of Valor. The decree was signed on November 21, 2023. The award to Ngannou was in view of his tremendous career path.
Francis has been invited as guest of honor to substantial ceremonies in the continent like the CAF Awards. All these followed in 2023, after he put up a boxing clinic despite losing on the judges’ scorecards against Fury, whom he knocked down in round 3 and conjured a victory dance reminiscent of Muhammad Ali.
Ngannou incarnates the life of an average Cameroonian
Raised in Bâtie by a single mother, Ngannou’s life exemplifies the resilience of the Cameroonian spirit. His father was a street-fighter, renowned in the village for squaring up to gang members, four or five at a time, and giving them a hiding. Working in the sand mines at 9 and later undertaking a perilous 14-month journey to Europe at the age of 26, Ngannou’s path was far from easy.
After enduring homelessness and imprisonment in Spain, he eventually found purpose and success in the world of MMA in France when he met with MMA coach Fernand Lopez.
Sports journo Njie Enow describes Ngannou’s journey as emblematic of the Cameroonian experience: “Ngannou’s story reflects the survival instinct at the core of Cameroonian DNA. His success is not just about sports—it’s a testament to the resilience of the Cameroonian people amid economic challenges.”
Despite the obstacles and life beating him up, Ngannou has transformed his life and now seeks to uplift others, cementing his legacy as an inspiration for his country and the next generation of fighters.
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