Dana White Denies Ngannou Earned More In Boxing Than The UFC

Dana White has come out to categorically deny that Francis Ngannou made more money in boxing than his whole UFC career.
Ngannou left the UFC in 2023 after negotiations for a new contract broke down. According to reports, Ngannou turned down an $8 million offer, which would have potentially included a fight with Jon Jones. He allegedly rejected it on the grounds that he would not be an independent contractor, thus reducing his influence over his career. White said he would never work with Ngannou again while also dismissing any co-promotion with the PFL, meaning that fans would not see a Jones fight.
He would then sign a deal with the PFL. The deal included an opportunity to box. Ngannou took up those options when he made his debut against Tyson Fury. He pushed the then-WBC Heavyweight Champion until the final bell, losing a narrow split decision. While he suffered a split decision loss, he earned many plaudits for his performance as he dropped the Gypsy King in the third round. The performance also earned him a top-ten WBC ranking, eventually leading him to secure the Anthony Joshua fight.
White On Ngannou
However, Ngannou was knocked out in the second round. It damaged the positive start to his boxing career. Ngannou has said that he is open to having more boxing fights. Although he will make his PFL debut against Renan Ferreira on October 19, the fight against Tyson Fury reportedly earned him $10 million. Meanwhile, the Joshua fight allegedly earned him $20 million. That is more than his whole UFC career earnings, meaning that Ngannou has secured his financial future away from the sport. Although that is the case, White shut down those numbers.
“That’s not necessarily true. That’s the…publicly that people believe, but that’s not the truth…That’s that whole myth that makes everybody go…Boxing don’t work. Boxing does not work. What makes it work? You need a Saudi…trillionaire to make…fights….It’s all a myth,” White said
The UFC has faced criticism that it does not pay its fighters enough. There has been a rise in the number of MMA fighters leaving the UFC to pursue crossover fights. Nate Diaz faced Jake Paul on his boxing debut, losing a unanimous decision. Paul then offered him $10 million for a rematch in MMA under the PFL, but it was never taken up. Diaz would then have a boxing fight against Masvidal, beating him via majority decision to avenge his UFC 244 loss in 2019.
Other Fighters
Conor McGregor was the most lucrative fighter to have crossed over, having faced Floyd Mayweather in 2017. Although he was stopped in the 10th round, he reportedly earned $100 million. Dana White confirmed that he could enter boxing, stating that an announcement is coming. But if the UFC model is adopted where it is more centralized, boxers may earn fewer big paydays than they are currently.
The UFC has faced two lawsuits after suggesting they broke antitrust laws to control how much fighters could earn. Regardless of how much Ngannou made from those fights, The Predator appears happy. He will have his first MMA fight since stopping Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in 2022 when he faces Renan, and all eyes will be on whether Francis comes out on top.
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