Francis Ngannou’s choice to move on from the UFC and into a boxing bout with Tyson Fury proved to be financially advantageous for him as well as his team.
Ngannou’s ultimate split with the UFC early in the year made him one of the biggest stories in combat sports in 2023. He ended up joining the PFL and was able to get a bout with Fury, something that many had given up on.
Ngannou exceeded expectations with his performance in a controversial split decision defeat to Fury. Also, he seemed to have earned eight figures.
Because the bout happened in Saudi Arabia, the precise details of Ngannou’s compensation are unknown. However, he has said that it was much more than his UFC earnings.
Those around him also felt the ripple impact of that purse. Eric Nicksick of Xtreme Couture was one of Ngannou’s instructors. He said that the payment he got for helping out at his camp was also his highest salary to date.
Nicksick told: “It was the most money I’ve ever been paid by a fighter – it was unbelievable. It was more than I expected. Obviously, Francis has always taken great care of me, but it floored me.”
“When I saw my Wells Fargo account that morning, it literally brought me to tears. That’s a true story. Literally brought me to tears because he changed my life – not only from a professional standpoint, but a monetary standpoint.”
Nicksick talked about how the huge paycheck changed his life. He continued: “It allowed me a lot of financial freedom to allow me to be able to enjoy my coaching, enjoy being a dad and a husband and I get to take my kids to Park City this weekend, my daughter’s 16th birthday. Helped us buy a new car.”
“There’s a lot of things with Francis moving over to boxing, and the way he takes care of his team. He loves every single one of us and he shows it. He takes care of us, and I couldn’t thank him enough.”