Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has long pointed out the discrepancy between UFC payouts and those enjoyed by professional boxers.
Now, with Ngannou set to make a life-changing amount of money in the squared circle when he faces Tyson Fury, he knows the difference first-hand. The comparison, said Ngannou on The MMA Hour, is “night and day.”
Francis Ngannou: Boxing Money Is “Night and Day” Compared To UFC Payouts
“What I will tell you is that, compared to what I was making for my UFC fight, it’s day and night. It’s life changing. And it would be the same thing if I was fighting in the PFL first. What I was making, what I did make in my last [UFC] fight, doesn’t even count. It’s not close, anywhere close.”
When Ariel Helwani asked if the purse was more than all his UFC paydays combined, Ngannou answered in the affirmative. “Definitely yes.
One-hundred percent, yes. I didn’t make that much in my entire UFC career, basically after turning down all those contracts that could have made me more money. But yes, if we count it, absolutely.”
Ngannou also revealed that, although the UFC claimed they offered him a competitive salary, the reality was a far cry from what he can earn fighting Tyson Fury.
“I have heard so many times people say, ‘Oh, they offered him $8 million a fight, they offered him this and that,’ which is not exactly what [they offered].
There was a trick there and it was bad. It was just in order for me to put the pen on the paper. There was just one big number and then behind it the paper was blank, pretty much.
So it’s not like, I’m sure you’re going to say $3 million times three, for three fights. That’s not what it was. It wasn’t like that. It was the same tactic. To pull some number up and want to impress you to get you to sign that contract.”
Ngannou has not revealed an exact amount, but estimates have his payday in the region of eight figures. Another aspect of the contract, however, is a rematch clause, which Ngannou was happy to discuss.
“There is a potential rematch clause. I don’t know exactly how to explain that language, but yes, there’s a rematch inside there.
[If I win], definitely. [If Fury wins], I don’t know. We’ll see how it goes. That’s why I have to win this fight. I have to put everything to get that rematch.”
