With preparations continuing for Francis Ngannou’s upcoming bout with Anthony Joshua, Ngannou’s coach Dewey Cooper said he hopes that he can reunite the team that helped “The Predator” prepare for his star-making performance against Tyson Fury.
Cooper and Eric Nicksick formed the backbone of Ngannou’s corner team, but they were also aided in their preparations by former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world Mike Tyson, who provided valuable insight and inspiration in the lead-up to Ngannou’s pro debut against Fury last year.
Now Cooper hopes that Tyson can be persuaded to join the team once again as they begin the long run-up to Ngannou’s clash with former heavyweight champion Joshua.
“We hope Mike Tyson joins camp,” Cooper told Fruity Slots.
“I’m sure Mike will come through, but that’s up to Francis. Four years ago Francis said to Mike ‘If I ever have a boxing match, I want you in the corner,’ and given the brotherhood they formed over those four years, it was only right for Mike to be involved in it, just for Francis to be able to say ‘Tyson is my inspiration for boxing and I can’t believe he’s working my corner in the biggest fight of my life.’
“From a spiritual standpoint, it was extremely important. Imagine if your favourite athlete came to support you, it would inspire and motivate you, so Mike inspired and motivated Francis in so many ways.
“Once you start believing in yourself and you’re confident, whether it’s just Mike’s presence or him showing you body shots, it’s going to make a major difference in the fight game. The man who is most confident, as long as he has the right tools, can overcome impossible odds.
“Mike gave Francis huge motivation and was very helpful and Francis was excited about it. It was a necessary piece of preparation and it made a major difference in his first fight because to truly think you can beat the best boxer in the world has to be hard, so the more motivation you can funnel inspiration from is helpful, and Tyson helped to funnel some of the belief into Francis.”
Cooper also revealed that Ngannou has gone old school in his preparations to face England’s Joshua, and said that the former UFC heavyweight champion has been putting in the work to ensure he’s in peak condition for the matchup on March 8 in Riyadh.
“We’re going to chop wood,” he said.
“He’s already chopping wood and working hard, we have gone back to the Jack Johnson, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier old school training methods, paying in sweat equity. He’s going to pound the pavement.
“Those guys in the fifties, sixties and seventies, they had an undying mentality. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was gritty. They had an unbreakable spirit and always fought to the end, and that is what Francis Ngannou has in his DNA.”
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That work ethic and fighting spirit, teamed with Ngannou’s prior performances in the UFC Octagon, and against Fury, have Cooper convinced that “The Predator” is only a few fights away from becoming boxing’s undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
“Once he’s beaten Joshua, he’s already alluded to the fact he wants the rematch with Fury in October,” he said.
“Francis said he definitely wants that to happen, it would be great if we defeat Joshua and then somehow Tyson Fury beats Usyk – there’s no guarantee there, by the way – but if he does, could you imagine Ngannou’s third professional boxing fight going for the undisputed boxing titles? All the belts in his third fight, defeating Tyson Fury in the rematch and becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion inside three fights? These are dreams that people fantasise about. These things are possible for Francis Ngannou this year. Craziness!”
As for Ngannou’s path to victory over Joshua, Cooper said there was no secret. It’s all down to his punch power, which the seasoned coach said could strike at any time in the fight.
“Francis’ power is unheard of, it’s gargantuan power,” he stated.
“It’s another astral plane of power. He hits you so hard, it’s actually very painful training him, it’s very gruelling. I’ve been injured many times; my ribs, my shoulders, my arms.
“He’s just so strong and people don’t realise it’s a natural power. He barely throws the punch and it hurts you and I really feel in this fight, do not blink, because Francis will be able to hurt Joshua with either hand.”
