1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:05,519 Well, it's my great privilege to have my first interview today on our podcast 2 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:10,279 with the one and only the man from the UFC now big boxing star making 3 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:14,080 his name. It's Francis Nagano, the Predator, and Francis, welcome to 4 00:00:14,119 --> 00:00:17,600 my show. I appreciate it. First of all, just how excited are 5 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:23,160 you for what is another huge boxing match in your career from BFF bro from 6 00:00:23,199 --> 00:00:26,839 BFL, I think you're really the wrong way I see PFL. Yes, 7 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:30,160 sir, that's that's your well yeah, that's your new that's your new MMA 8 00:00:30,239 --> 00:00:34,200 home. But people know you from your UFC days. That's true, that's 9 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:39,439 true. Fair enough anyway, So huge fight again, another big one, 10 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:43,560 just a few months after the last one. Yeah, another big one, 11 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:48,920 right, So, I mean it's great to get your get in the boxing 12 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:54,000 after all those little drama in the past. Gets here finally getting in the 13 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:59,880 boxing that was midsport and then get to the point that you know, Outsight 14 00:01:00,039 --> 00:01:03,119 and the two best fighters in the world back to bad Will have done that 15 00:01:03,159 --> 00:01:10,079 before nobody frances and got So I'm very happy about that. I feel very 16 00:01:10,239 --> 00:01:15,319 you know, I feel that things are shifting up. I feel from the 17 00:01:15,519 --> 00:01:21,640 to be the privileged to become the privilege in life. Well, it is 18 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,040 quite a remarkable story, as you said, to come into boxing and immediately 19 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:27,799 in your first two boxing matches fight the two biggest names in the heavyweight division, 20 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:32,640 uh and and and uh. You know, perhaps more after this, 21 00:01:32,719 --> 00:01:34,239 depending on what happens, if it's your if it's what you want to do. 22 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:38,599 But you mentioned that was always your dream sport about boxing. What I'm 23 00:01:38,599 --> 00:01:41,400 curious about because I being honest, I don't follow a lot of MMn you 24 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:42,840 know a little bit about you, but I've been reading up on you a 25 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:46,760 bit, but i haven't really seen the answer to this. If it was 26 00:01:46,799 --> 00:01:51,760 your dream, what made you go into mixed martial arts instead of trying boxing 27 00:01:51,799 --> 00:01:57,799 first as a professional opportunity. I started boxing, but again I was alone. 28 00:01:57,799 --> 00:02:01,599 I started boxing. I was too too and then it took me five 29 00:02:01,719 --> 00:02:07,280 years. I was in Cameroon, UH for like another four years they didn't 30 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:13,439 have any opportunity, and then I have to lift Cameroon to Europe. That 31 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:17,439 took me over a year to get in Europe and then get there was looking 32 00:02:17,599 --> 00:02:23,039 an opportunity for boxing, where to box and this and then mm came around 33 00:02:23,199 --> 00:02:27,800 and was quick and easy, you know, grab and go, and I 34 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,960 was doing it until some day even without me expecting I have the US had 35 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:39,639 the USC contract. Then I couldn't let that opportunity uh go, regarding my 36 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:45,560 my situation of the time. So I took the opportunity, but boxing was 37 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,960 always in the back of my head. And then again, when comes the 38 00:02:50,039 --> 00:02:53,879 moment when it come the opportunity to take on boxing, I didn't hesitate to 39 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:59,000 cross over and dive into that opportunity. Well, when you took that opportunity 40 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:01,599 this past I told and got the chance to fight against the heavyweight champion, 41 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:07,120 Tyson Fury, I mean you know this, nobody gave you a real chance 42 00:03:07,199 --> 00:03:10,360 to to win, much less really compete. I think you know among the 43 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:14,800 public, uh certainly among a lot of the media members. Obviously you had 44 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:19,080 a lot of belief in yourself. So I wonder what was it that coming 45 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,960 into the sport as a professional gave you the confidence that you could not only 46 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,319 compete, but in the eyes of a lot of people, Francis win against 47 00:03:25,319 --> 00:03:32,039 Tyson Fury. Well, my life experience was what gave me the confident because 48 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,759 people are not giving me any chance. For me, it wasn't any in 49 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,439 you. It was just he has always been like that, you know, 50 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:47,639 they always write me out, uh so much that when the better on me, 51 00:03:47,879 --> 00:03:52,719 I'm concerned, you know, always been there with the duck. So 52 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:58,159 coming into this fight, you was just already it was another another day in 53 00:03:58,199 --> 00:04:02,360 the office, you know, another story, same thing. So when you 54 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,800 when you fought him, you did obviously very well. You knocked him down. 55 00:04:06,159 --> 00:04:10,560 You ultimately lost a split decision. But I mentioned so many people thought 56 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:14,439 that you won, did you uh, even though you didn't get your hand 57 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,439 raised. I just wanted to know if you did you know, did it? 58 00:04:17,639 --> 00:04:20,160 Did it? Did it? How did you feel about that? Like 59 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:24,000 mentally emotionally that you feel like maybe you got robbed in the fight, but 60 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:28,319 it certinly did impact your ability to make obviously a ton of fans in boxing, 61 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:30,399 to show what you could do in the ring. Obviously to land another 62 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:32,720 huge fight like you have. And I'll mention, uh, you know, 63 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,920 obviously this fight against Anthony Joshua in Riad, Saudi Arabia on pay per view 64 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:43,319 and PPV dot com his own pay per view, Like were you bothered by 65 00:04:43,319 --> 00:04:46,800 that or were you just sort of shook it off? Uh? You know, 66 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,600 I shook it off. Life is not always fair. As soon as 67 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:55,959 you understand that you're going to be doing great in life, you know, 68 00:04:56,439 --> 00:04:59,920 And then I knew even getting dead. That's why I wasn't even so bright. 69 00:05:01,879 --> 00:05:06,439 I knew that I was coming into this new sport. Every nobody was 70 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:11,720 counting on me. I'm even sure that some Georges wasn't watching the fight. 71 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:15,839 They have the scoreboards ready even before the fight started, you know, I 72 00:05:15,959 --> 00:05:19,040 or sometimes they wake up sometime in between the fight. I'm like them, 73 00:05:19,199 --> 00:05:24,120 the fight is still on and they just decide to put something on the paper. 74 00:05:24,319 --> 00:05:28,920 But there wasn't watching at all, right, So again it's the story 75 00:05:28,959 --> 00:05:33,279 of my life, always been count out. And I knew that he wasn't 76 00:05:33,319 --> 00:05:38,560 going to be easy in the term of like just stepping into a boxing and 77 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:44,879 then just being in everybody hard and then just expecting to be treated right by 78 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,120 every by everybody. So when you when you come into the fight against Tyson 79 00:05:48,199 --> 00:05:51,600 Theory, obviously it's kind of snuck up on people. I Mean, they 80 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:56,040 knew who Francis Nana was, but I had no concept of what you might 81 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,839 be able to do inside the boxing ring. Clearly, everybody saw what you 82 00:06:00,079 --> 00:06:02,199 did so, I would I would think that you're not sneaking up on Anthony 83 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:06,439 Joshua. They they realize what you're capable of. I'm sure that they've watched 84 00:06:06,439 --> 00:06:11,319 your fight against Tyson Fury. Does that make it maybe like a little more 85 00:06:11,319 --> 00:06:15,120 difficult going into this fight. It's no longer like a stealth operation. They 86 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:16,839 know you, they've watched you box. They only have ten rounds to look 87 00:06:16,879 --> 00:06:20,879 at, but they're gonna be more prepared, perhaps than Tyson Fury was. 88 00:06:23,199 --> 00:06:26,600 Then it's up to me to find another way to be sneaky. You know, 89 00:06:26,959 --> 00:06:29,240 if they're waiting into the left, then I'll come to the right. 90 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:31,879 If they are waiting into the right, I'll come to the left. Listen, 91 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:35,199 I understand that. I know because you have the experience now in both 92 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:40,920 sports at the highest level, between boxing and mixed martial arts. I wonder 93 00:06:41,199 --> 00:06:46,199 which do you enjoy doing more. Well, First of all, you have 94 00:06:46,319 --> 00:06:53,639 to understand that boxing has always been my first dream, but it's complicated because 95 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:57,439 MMA. I've been into MMA for what the past ten years, and I'm 96 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:03,319 very comfortable in MM so regards less boxing is tough for me, orme is 97 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:08,680 boxing is still tough for me. And mme in MM, I'm more confident, 98 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:13,519 you know, I know everything in my body mechanics is they are there. 99 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:17,920 Everything is there. Not that it's easier, but it's less complicated. 100 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:23,360 It's less stressful, even on my body. That might sound crazy, or 101 00:07:23,399 --> 00:07:29,639 it's more that on your knee and everything, but it's so physically easy for 102 00:07:29,759 --> 00:07:36,439 me than than boxing because my body mechanics is adjusting to the boxing. When 103 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:41,800 you fought against Tyson Theory, I wonder you know, do you think it 104 00:07:41,839 --> 00:07:46,120 was it was more because you are a lot better than maybe many people thought 105 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:49,720 you might be, or it was part of it because maybe he didn't take 106 00:07:49,759 --> 00:07:54,879 you seriously because he wasn't as prepared as he should have been a professional athlete. 107 00:07:56,439 --> 00:08:01,399 Well, I think he must have in prepare. But first of all, 108 00:08:01,839 --> 00:08:09,959 the most important element was that people I was better than what people expected. 109 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:15,800 First of all, people many people wasn't even expecting anything. Who was 110 00:08:16,839 --> 00:08:20,079 hilarious for a guy that is even though I never did a boxing was a 111 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:28,160 compassport added a compassport champion in another combats sport, right, So I think 112 00:08:30,199 --> 00:08:33,279 that was the thing, because honestly, I don't think that was a great 113 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:37,159 performance. I don't think that was awesome performance, But I think he was 114 00:08:37,279 --> 00:08:41,080 just enough to surprise people and they were like, wow, you know, 115 00:08:41,399 --> 00:08:45,679 but I believe that I can do better than that. I can do way 116 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:48,440 better than that. Right, you were the greatest performance that you can find 117 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:52,000 in boxing, but you were just like, Well, for a guy that 118 00:08:52,279 --> 00:08:56,559 wasn't expecting anything from him, that's great. What are you expecting from Joshua? 119 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:00,279 I mean, he's obviously a much different type of opponent, different type 120 00:09:00,279 --> 00:09:03,000 of style fighter, not as tall as Tyson Fury. Like I said, 121 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:05,799 you're not sneaking up on anybody this time. So what are you expecting from 122 00:09:07,039 --> 00:09:13,039 the former heavyweight champion? Well, expecting him to come, prepare and come 123 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:16,039 to the four war, because yes, he have seen me already, and 124 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:20,639 then he knows that he has a lot. There's a lot under line here. 125 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:24,480 There's a lot for him to lose here, So it's gonna come with 126 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:30,559 everything that he has. One thing I'm very interested in is you're obviously making 127 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,120 a huge amount of money in this fight. You made a huge amount of 128 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:37,799 money in the fight against Tyson Fury, as as I've heard you say in 129 00:09:37,799 --> 00:09:39,720 interviews, you know you got the bag. You know, after a lot 130 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:43,000 of time in a in a MMA where you didn't make the kind of huge 131 00:09:43,039 --> 00:09:46,120 money I said, I fumbled the back. I fumbled the back. Well 132 00:09:46,159 --> 00:09:52,159 you didn't you that's not what you said. That's what other suns somebody else 133 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,600 said that you bumbled the bag. Uh. But I just wonder, you 134 00:09:54,639 --> 00:09:58,159 know, how how just amazing is it to you that you could have such 135 00:09:58,159 --> 00:10:01,480 a storied career in mm A. Uh, you know, make money, 136 00:10:01,519 --> 00:10:05,200 but come into boxing in your two fights, from what I understand, anyway, 137 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:11,879 eclipse your entire career earnings in mm A in one fight, much less 138 00:10:11,919 --> 00:10:16,960 the second fights you're gonna have. Well, I think we don't. I 139 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:22,320 would not use this to like bash what mm have given to me, you 140 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:26,399 know, the opportunity, because the reason why we're here is because of my 141 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:30,879 MMA career. And then there's also a lot of boxing fighters that they're not 142 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:37,679 even making what I was making in MMA, and also not because I have 143 00:10:37,879 --> 00:10:45,200 a we have some situation in mm which mean about that was the standard, 144 00:10:45,279 --> 00:10:48,399 right, that's not the standard. If I would to fight in the p 145 00:10:48,639 --> 00:10:52,919 F after if I would have fight uh in the in mm after my last 146 00:10:52,919 --> 00:11:01,240 fight, that was the moment that I was basically manifesting if I would have 147 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,480 to fight in MMA, I would have still make a lot of money, 148 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,039 right, because even from my last fight, I turned down a lot of 149 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:11,919 money. The money that I have never made, I turned down because I 150 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:15,960 was standing by something. I had some principle that I didn't want to break 151 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:20,600 it up. Right. So the fact that I didn't have the money is 152 00:11:20,639 --> 00:11:26,000 not because the money wasn't there or because the money wasn't offered, is because 153 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:30,000 I swish and then I get to that specific point and it was a moment 154 00:11:30,039 --> 00:11:33,399 that I stepped into boxing. But again, if I were to fight in 155 00:11:33,639 --> 00:11:37,240 MM, in any MMA organization, I would have made it make a lot 156 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:39,799 of money as well. All right, So let me then wrap up with 157 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,360 this. You mentioned my MMA. Last question for you, it's been announced 158 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,840 by PFL that after this fight against Anthony Joshua in a boxing match, that 159 00:11:48,159 --> 00:11:50,840 you're supposed to return to have your first ever PFL fight against the winner of 160 00:11:50,879 --> 00:11:56,759 their big show that they just recently had in Saudi Arabia against I forget the 161 00:11:56,759 --> 00:12:03,440 guy's name who won the ren and Ferrera right, who who won that that 162 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:07,879 big match of the d So is that your plan to go back and do 163 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:11,240 that PFL fight next, and do you plan like I think of Claressa Shields 164 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:15,639 and boxing. She's also was on that card with the PFL, and she's 165 00:12:15,639 --> 00:12:18,759 been shuttling back and forth between the two sports. Is that your intention to 166 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:24,559 have this fight with aj, go do that fight in PFL, maybe another 167 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:28,120 one whatever, and then eventually come back in boxing again and basically make two 168 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:35,559 two sports as a combat star does a As far as fighting in the MMA, 169 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:39,559 yes, that's my uh, that's my uh, my goal to combine 170 00:12:39,639 --> 00:12:43,559 a little bit, because I think I still have to I still have a 171 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:48,960 few fighting MMA, but after this one. The understatement from fighting ren and 172 00:12:50,039 --> 00:12:56,480 Ferrera after this fight is a potential option because he depends how this fight goes. 173 00:12:56,120 --> 00:13:01,720 Because this fight is my lead into it on this better fight wish I 174 00:13:01,799 --> 00:13:05,960 think will be back to back. I will not let this after this fight. 175 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:09,879 Will if I win this fight, I'm going to fight for that on 176 00:13:09,919 --> 00:13:13,879 disbut I will not step out and go fight and b babb had it me 177 00:13:13,039 --> 00:13:16,440 some jury or something before go fight it on Steers. I think I'll go 178 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:20,879 straight to fight on Steer. So I'll tell you what, if you can 179 00:13:20,919 --> 00:13:22,559 go back and forth and get those big megga fights. It's a beautiful thing 180 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:26,720 to have options, and you obviously are a man that has options. Francis, 181 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,039 thank you so much for your time today. I appreciate it. I 182 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:31,279 wish your best of luck. Let me tell you've made a big splash in 183 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:37,000 boxing, and having not known your story and followed what's occurred, I can't 184 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:39,399 help but be a fan. And I'm not just trying to kiss beer in 185 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:43,120 here. Thank you. I appreciate you, brother, Thank you so much. 186 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:43,360 Fis good luck for you.