JRE MMA Show #146 with Francis Ngannou

31:28A picture perfect sunset or a cute dog running up to you and licking your hand. Again, that's ziprecruiter .com -rogan -ziprecruiter the smartest way to hire. Yeah. Because when they came back, and all this time that we've been talking about, how the, what is the term, back pay? Yeah, we're going to back pay you. Because from all the fights that have been refused, refusing to renegotiate the pay that they were proposing, they said they're going to back pay me that. When they come out now and then make pay better, and I'm like, okay, the back pay and this and that. And I'm like, no, no, everything is new contract.

32:18This is it, this is it. And I'm like, okay. Well, then I don't know what to say. If you say, this is it, because you are against your work. You say something and now you say, this is it. I said, don't have the back pay, bro. So they proposed the back pay and then they took it away. Yeah, they've been proposing the back pay before. After the certified, they get the invite us to a dinner and then keep reminding me how they're going to back pay me everything. Because I have a good proposal at the time. But I know that proposal and he was a good money. But I know he was just a bit to sign a contract.

33:05He was just to put, depend on the paper. He wasn't really like a good faith, like how do you want to make, give me a good contract. And they get to the point that they're like, no, everything is in this. I'm like, okay, I don't see it. And I was, we were kind of like silence for a couple of seconds. Was that me? I'm like, no, no, then we hang out. So at that point, do you start to talk to people like the PFL and FC? No. At that point, I stopped. I didn't do anything. When we stopped that conversation, I didn't do anything. Until like, I started to see all these things on social media. And then I saw they didn't press conference.

34:02Like, oh, we get rid of frances. Yes, he's not getting any younger. He's injured. I'm like, yes, he's not getting any younger. But you were trying to have him. He's injured, but you were trying to have him. Now, you didn't come to agreement. You're batching him. That's when I started to respond. Because I never really like one of these like to be something on me. And I was expecting like, maybe they go out there and just say, oh, unfortunately, we didn't come to agreement. And this and that. And thank you. Good luck. Right? And then we move away. But that's not how they do things over there. So you decide to start talking to other people that?

34:50Yeah. And who do you talk to first? People started to reach out. I wasn't even the one talking to people. And, you know, at that time, I just want to let this way drop out of my shoulder. For some reason, I feel relieved. I feel relieved. There was so much pressure into that process. And I was in cameo on arm like, man, just leave your life. You know, whatever is yours out there who come to you. But I get the first person that reached out was Pete Mary from PFL. And then I was just like, yes, let's hear him out. And he came out. We speak. He asked like, what I'm looking for and stuff. We speak.

35:47And like, ah, that's good. A couple days after he made a proposal. I mean, I didn't even ask for not anything. But when he made a proposal, I looked at the structure of that proposal. I'm like, this is good. You know, everything was being taken consideration. You know, obviously, there is always, there is always going to be a way of to negotiate in the contract. But the way that the structure of it, I was already happy. I'm like, I think this guy is trying to make me happy. Yeah. Why they need someone like you. Yeah. PFL doesn't really have the big stars. Yeah. So, but we keep that contract. And at that time, I'm like, let's wait.

36:37I'm not rushing to anything. Take some times and everything. And then. So you didn't sign that yet? No, I didn't sign. We also get to a chatri. Even chatri, reach out, we talk, same thing. And then cover days. They send the own contract. But when I was putting that contract next to the PFL one, it was their night. The PFL was much better. Yeah. Okay. In the... And the PFL put a clause into a allow you to box? Yeah. No, boxing was first to me, right? And would the PFL be involved in the boxing promotion? That was up to me. Okay. That was up to me. But they didn't really like want to. It's not their expertise.

37:25But if they can help in some way or be involved in some way, against it's up to me, right? So, very independent contract. So, but I was more looking about like boxing. That's the first time that I have to, I started to have dialogue about boxing and stuff. You know, try to... And I know there was some conversations with you fight. And there was Deonte Wilder they talked about. I think they talked about Dillion White. He was here was Deonte Wilder. We had a conversation with Deonte Wilder team. Even with him. I personally like was under of meeting with him, conference with him, that we were talking about a potential to fight them.

38:20So, and that was going well. And I think even till this day, we are kind of like open about it. It's just along the way he has the potential opportunity right away that they say, okay, we had like to push you the conversation about what we have here. And for us, he was understandable. We were like, okay, then let's explore maybe after. And then right after that, I have my own. And I started a conversation with the... For the purified. Because I get a call, I was driving to... Yeah, I was driving to the airport and I get a call to meet in New York for some conversation about the purified. And then when I get in New York, next week, we scheduled that, next week, I get in New York.

39:26We get to the room, I meet the people. He was the right people. I heard them out and I'm like, I knew them, right? And I'm like, okay, this is legit. I think with these people behind this fight is going to happen. That's where I now put them in contact with my team to negotiate. Because they wanted me to do everything, let's negotiate, let's... I don't do negotiation. I listen, I talk about how I would like things to go. But I don't like to negotiate personally. I want these, I deserve these, I'm dead. I rather have somebody do that on my behalf. Somebody do that on your behalf and you want to respond to a good deal.

40:21To a good deal brought to you. I want somebody. It's always good to have somebody in the mirror that would take the temper of both party. Because they do can fall off just because somebody is mad at these. And then I'm like, his ego take over and they dees off. But when there is somebody in between and you always come to like, okay, it's not him. And that's the thing about it. And that's what happened because sometimes with my team, there was frustrated and I'm like, oh no, it is not working. And then they will come to you and then you will talk nice. You know, be a nice cop. I have no problem.

41:05I'm like, no, but my team is saying this because they didn't mean to offense you. But I think, you know, got frustrated, right? No, not frustrating. I mean, oh, yeah, over the time, you learn, you understand how it works and it's pretty easy. Okay. It's pretty easy. So you're in the driver's seat now because you've left the UFC. You have all these opportunities on the table, possibly the Auntie Wilder, then it becomes Tyson Fury. So when do you know that that fight is actually going to take place? Because I know there was a lot of June. June, that was in June. That was in June. We locked that fight.

41:45It was concluded. Everything was set. So for all those months from December to June, we're essentially just trying to find where you're going to land. Yeah, but before that, I have, I agree, the deal with the PFR, I think it was in March. But I made the request. I say, let's just figure out what would be next, my next box in fight before we signed a deal. So you haven't signed the deal with the PFR? I haven't signed the deal. Is it possible? Let me ask you this. Is it possible that you go and fight Tyson Fury and then the UFC comes back to you and says, let's make this right and let's fight John Jones.

42:28Is that possible? It's possible, but no, it's possible. It's possible, but they have to go to the PFR now. Oh, because the PFL of a contract signed? Yeah, you did sign a contract. I did sign. I say in March, I was, it wasn't signed. Right. I signed in May. Do you think the PFL would allow that? Oh, the PFL is down for that. Really? Yeah, it's down for that. Wow. The PFL is down for that. So the PFL would let you fight in the UFC. But what happens if you beat John Jones, you become the UFC heavyweight champion again?

43:07Uh... That's a problem. I don't know. Maybe he will be a special fight, a special bird or something? Yeah. Maybe not like a UFC bird. I don't know. Yeah, the UFC bird. I'll probably be down for that. Yeah. When the title then go fight in the PFL. No, no, no, no the title. But, you know, to be honest, I don't worry about the title. The title is not what I worry about. I worry about that fight, that challenge. Yes. And I wouldn't care if it was a fight without a title. You know, so in my, I don't need a UFC title. Especially with that fight. Like what difference does it make? It's John Jones and you.

43:50No, that fight is bigger than a title. Yes, bigger than a title. The fight is bigger than a title. No doubt. So deep inside me, I still have a little bit of hope, even though I know he's going to be hot. But you never know. Well, that would be a big gamble for them. Because if you win, then you're the champ, but you're signed with the PFL. Yeah. Oh. Oh. Okay, so, so June, you get the Tyson Fury bout negotiated. Did you get everything you want? Was it easy? Again, you don't work in a room for a contract to get everything that you want. Right. And at that moment, I was just so happy, happy to get that fight happened.

44:32Because from that fight, a lot of things will be open. That fight would open a lot of del. You know, sometimes, even in the negotiations, sometimes you have to see long term like what he comes with. Now I get this fight. I think it should have been a focus. After this fight, imagine, I'll go out there and knock Tyson Fury out. What do you think will happen for me now? Where does that lead me? If you knock Tyson Fury out, you're the biggest combat sport star in the world. Okay. That's what I think. So is that everything that you will want? You want the cash. You got the cash. And you will get everything.

45:22Well, if you knock Tyson Fury out, the real money is in a rematch. Exactly. That's the real money. That's crazy, buddy. Are they giving you crazy money for the Tyson Fury fight? Are they giving you crazy money for the Tyson Fury fight? Yeah. They're giving me a good money. And a very great condition. I like a lot of components. Again, a lot of components of this contract was like the thing, the treatment that they were giving me. The access, how easy they make stuff for me. It's going to be the first time that my family is going to attend to my fight. And I don't even have to think about that.

46:05They're going to walk on it. They're going to figure out how to bring my mom, my sister, my brother, out to Saudi to watch that fight. Oh, OK. So they're going to take care of everything. They're going to take care. And I think that... Saudi's knowing to throw that money around, boy. And I think that's something that for me was very, very important. I think, you know, I could have half more money but he wouldn't make me more happier than stuff like that. And, you know, you kind of like work with people that you feel like, OK, they are trying their best, they are very best to make you feel comfortable, feel happy.

46:43Right. I think that's also a partnership. You know, it's not like one shot. OK, everything that I can take can go. How can we build something? Like, is it like somebody that I can trust? Can we build something for the future? And then when you feel like, yes, you invest into that relationship. OK. So June, they negotiate the fight. Is it 12 rounds? 10 rounds. Yeah. 10 rounds and they've created a new belt. Right. And you're happy with the money, you're happy with the conditions, you're happy with everything. So then in June is when you go hardcore boxing training? Like, when did you start like hardcore boxing training?

47:27I was training boxing already. No, no, like I was in a camp. But you were covering from your knee surgery, first of all, right? So you can't kick and you can't wrestle. I can kick, I can wrestle. I mean, obviously, I have to be careful. But how was the knee now? I don't have to worry about like, kick wrestling. Right. Just knee. My knee is probably 90%. I mean, when you get a knee surgery, did you get any stem cells or anything? No, yet. How long do you in town for? I had a PRP. I'm living tonight. You're living tonight. Yeah. There's a company in Austin, ways to well, that I wanted to hook you up with.

48:13Ways to wear. Yes. I get in contact with them. I even do get them through my exam. And I think Eric Nickstick put me in contact with, send me a contact. I can take care of that too. Yeah, we'll bring him. Yeah, I can take care of that too. How about the same sir, if we have a time, and I think I can give it a shot. You do that. Yeah, I think I'm going to give it a shot. Yeah, for sure. You know, it'll help you. It's very important to take care of, to maintain the vehicle. Yes. Obviously. Yeah. And what a vehicle it is. Yeah. Basically, when you're going to put it in a big crash like this. So, yeah.

48:56That's a good way to put it. Yeah, because Tyson Fury is a big monster. He's a monster. I stand next to him. I'm like, damn, this guy is big. I'm like, you really need to go full force. Yeah. He's a big fella. And he's very good. Very skillful. Oh man. You jump into the top of the heap. And then I was there with the press conference next to him. And I'm like, yes, look, my fat belly. I'm a fat pig. I'm this. I'm like, don't true fool me. I have seen you. I treat people with that belly. I'm like, don't true fool me. Don't you treat me Tyson. I've seen you box. And you do the box as a fat anything at all.

49:38No, he doesn't. If you just focus on his body, then you'll be like, oh, easy job. No, man. When the guy is in the ring, moving, I'm like, okay, is it like something that they are remodeling or something? I'm like, no, don't you fool me. I have very, very skillful. Yeah. Very skillful. But you know, you have probably the most sensational punching power I've ever seen in the Heavyweight division in UFC. It's you and Derek Lewis. You're the biggest knockout artist ever. Maybe. But again, I think in the Heavyweight division, everybody can knock everybody out. The problem is to connect. Yes. That's the most problem.

50:21Yeah. When you walk to everybody, hit somebody in the shin, it's going down. But can you connect? How to connect the delivery system? Yes. And it's something that I heard once from Teddy Atlas, and it's taken my mind like the delivery system. You can have the biggest missile, but if you can hit your target, it's useless. So, when do you get involved with my Tyson? When did that start happening? In training? Yes. Because I've seen videos of you training with Tyson. How much have you trained with him? Not too much. She comes time to time. Not always. He's not always with me. But if you look like four years ago, exactly four years ago, and that's when Tyson and I, we started to hit each other on social media.

51:14And four years ago was the first time that I met Mike Tyson. I was on his podcast, the hot boxing. And one request that I initiated at that time was like, whenever I fight Tyson Fury, would you be in my corner? And he said, yes. That's even on my Instagram. He's still on my Instagram. Like the next day, I put that as a caption, like he said, I see me if he can, he'll be in my corner whenever I fight Tyson Fury. I nobody believes that this could have happened. Like, okay, cool. Then what? And when I get the fight, I'm like, bro, that thing is happening. That thing is manifesting himself. And so Tyson agrees to be in your corner.

52:02And who are you training with mostly for boxing? I'm training with Doe. I also get Doe Cooper. Doe Cooper? Yeah. I also get this guy from France named John Bumba that I used to work with him. Worked my training, my boxing with him. He's a young, very young guy, you know. But I like his style, the way that he is approached and stuff. And I really have a good connection with him. So what's up? I reached out. I mean, even before the fight, I was working with him, taking him in Cameroon, get some training already. Then when the fight get announced, I talked with him, then I brought him out. So he's in Vegas with me.

52:52And so you started your journey in martial arts. You initially wanted to be a boxer. Yes. And then when you went to an MMA gym, they can... When I went to France. Right. Yeah. No, he was even in a boxing gym that convinced me to be a MMA fighter. Really? A guy from a boxing gym named DJ Camero, the first boxing gym that I get into. But he was also a martial artist himself, himself. And he said, bro, I think you have a very good potential. I think your best outcome now regarding your situation, because I was still homeless at the time. I think your best outcome would be MMA. If you... That's what I'm like, what's the MMA?

53:38He started to explain to me like, you know, come. I'm like, ah, okay. That's what they do in the cage. He said, yes, I'm like, ah, I have seen it. He said, if you train some... Take down defense and jujusu, what is jujusu? Started to explain. I think you're going to be a UFC champion one day. What is UFC? And how old were you in this was happening? 27. That was in 2013. It's so crazy that you... June 2013. People don't understand that you started this journey as an MMA fighter so late in your life in compared to most. Like, a lot of these guys, they're training when they're 14, 15 years old, they're in MMA gyms and have an amateur fight.

54:22Yeah. And I forced my way into MMA. And that's why like, there was a lot of team that I didn't understand properly. I didn't learn at least growing up. And until I get to a stp fight, the first stp fight. Man, that stp fight taught me a lot. A lot of combat sports. After that fight, I was at the press conference and telling people, like, I think I have learned more in this fight because here I've been what almost just four years, four years and half since I've been doing... But not even four years and half since I've been doing MMA when I first stp the first time. Yeah. And I said, I learned this night tonight.

55:05Tonight I learned more than I have learned in the past four years in this game. And I think people didn't understand, but I meant it. Well, you certainly showed it in the rematch. You certainly showed it in the match. And Daniel Cormiere pointed it out. He said, patient, Francis. You were patient in the second fight. He didn't just rush out and try to take him out in the first round. Much more dangerous. Yeah, because my previous fight before stp, I wasn't rushing on anybody. What about Rosenstruck? You kind of rushed in. That was after. Yeah. Before the first fight. Right. I wasn't rushing on anybody.

55:44I was knocking people out without rushing the mistake. The thing that I did is like, I get to the point that I really started to think about the knockout, which is something that I never thought about it just happened. Right. Then I started to think about it. So that's where I brought it. You were trying to make it happen. I was trying to make it happen. And obviously at that time there was a lot of pressure on me and everything. Yeah. So I was, I sure, like, I have to give a result. So that's why I was rushing. So I understand that night. I went back and watched that fight and I was so me fight.

56:20I'm like, what is that guy? He just looked like me, but I don't recognize why he's rushing. Why he's doing this? So then I understand. I'm like, okay, maybe you just have to go back to your previous, the previous way, the previous you and then thing will be fine. Then I went back to my dentist. In the rematch, not only were you the previous you, but you were a way better version of you. You were very calculated, very technical. It was, it was four years, what, three years after? Yeah. So of course I have learned, I mean, the sport to learn, I know that I have a deficiency. So I pay a lot of attention than those people that grew up as an athletes, you know, doing different sport.

57:07I always take that very seriously. The fact that, I mean, maybe sometime my power hurt me to get away with stuff, but I know that I have a deficiency, you know, as far as experience and everything, even techniques. Because sometimes I hear people say, oh, yeah, he didn't train wrestling in the training camp. I'm like, bro, come on. You think two, three month training wrestling in the training camp, who outwrestled somebody that has been wrestling his entire life? No, you can't, you can't just find a way to go around, but, you know, so that's how, that's how I process things. I think about the advantage, I always think about myself as on the dog.

57:58So what did you change in your training after the first deep fight? Did you change anything? First of all, I understand how to train properly, I understand how to train properly, and again, I just think about everything as a deficiency. I used to think that sometime, I'm like, oh, yes, he has a good striking, he's a boxer in knock people out. I'm like, no, I have no good striking. Everything has to involve, you know, whether it's my striking, my wrestling, my jujitsu. That's why people keep training. The day that you think, like, oh, I'm good at this, that's the day that you start to go down because you can stay in same place like this.

58:43You're going to permanently try to go up, and even if you are not going up, that's how you can maintain your position. But if you stay comfortable with something, that's the day that you start to lose it. So I changed everything. I focused on everything, like, all the aspects. You know, he really, that fight really helped me a lot. I think about my diet, I think about the discipline, staff. I mean, usually I'm pretty, I'm good with discipline, but I still think about everything, put everything in prospect, like, okay, it's my diet, okay. By the way, after this deep fight, I decided to cut soda out for a couple, couple why before and since then I never drink soda.

59:35You were drinking a lot before? Oh, it turned. It turned. Even in training camp? It turned. In training camp, I was eating croissant, everything. I was like, no, I'm heavy weight. I was just focusing about my weight and not about my condition and all those aspects. I didn't know. You know the night before the steep fight, I was in the focote chau, eating all those things? That's good. Really? Yeah, that's good for you. Before the fight? Me. Oh, no, it's not good at all. Not good? No, at all. I was heavy as shit. Oh, yeah, too much. Did you eat stuff with the meat? Potatoes and rice? Of course.

1:00:20Yes, that's what I'm talking about. That's where it is. The night before the... I'm covered maybe two hours or maybe one hour before I worked in the arena. How was that focote chau? An hour before you went to the arena? No, in the arena. Because I went to the arena maybe two hours before the fight. But three hours is not enough to digest all those meat and stuff. Yeah. And so, in that fight, you learn all these lessons and then you change your diet, you enhance your discipline and you... Who's scoring big in the NBA this season? You are. Playing daily fantasy at DraftKings, an official partner of the NBA.

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1:03:17Keep working on all your skills. Yeah. Then you know how we are talking about we were talking about patient. That's how I walk into the steppe fight directly with fight. We would like constantly tell myself be patient. And I was there just like telling myself I think I wasn't even in that fight. I was there but I was still fighting steppe. I was like no be patient. Be patient. Be patient. You're still thinking about getting tired in that first fight, getting taken down, getting control. No really. I was just thinking about like patient. Patients. But I over I overdo you know I've already did it and he was too much.

1:03:58That's how it turned out. But I was like patient. You get this you get this. That's why at the end of the fight I'm like is it over or is that I was confused. I didn't know that he was even the turn round. Really? Oh yeah. I was really messed up mentally. I didn't know I told you I still have it around. So what was that feeling like? And my corner was telling me I mean they were telling me everything's good like okay I think you get one round at the second round. Maybe you get this I don't know. And so I feel like everything was right. So my mind was playing me really back. I was a fight. So what was it like when you went back and watched that fight?

1:04:46I didn't watch. You didn't watch that? Yeah I feel bad. I feel like I was a bullet. Important bullet. And then I feel very bad. And then the reaction about it. The way people react about it. You get to the point that I kind of like turn myself like okay screw this. Fuck everything man. You know the reason why I get into combat sport. Basically MMA was because he was fun. I was never going to do MMA. I was I just kept training like oh it's fun. I like it. Let's keep going. Then I realized that that fun wasn't there anymore. And that's why I was falling down. Because I start focusing about what people think.

1:05:39People reaction. People feelings. And then I forget the reason why I started the sport. So now I get the second fight again. I get this plate in China. I'm like okay this might be the end. I don't think if I lost this fight it's going to be good for me. But at least I earned it. I earned it how I started. Just by phone. Just go there. Enjoy yourself. Have fun. And don't worry about what's next. And then 45 second the guy was down. And then can the last guest 25 second the guy was down. I was just there to have fun. Junior dos Santos got was down. I'm like seems like having fun. Yeah like having fun is exactly why I'm doing this.

1:06:29And it's why I'm good at it. Let's just do it. So I don't try not to put pressure on me. On me I'm like every fight I'm like I'm going to go there. Do my best. Make sure that I everything that should have been done is done on my end. And there is I don't control it. Have you ever worked with a sports psychologist? Man I don't believe in that. I try. No. No I don't believe. I think everything is in our mind. What you you can go out there trying to find all those stuff that you have it in your mind. You can speak to yourself. Right. You can't question to yourself. I mean I don't need a sports psychology to tell me why I'm doing this.

1:07:16It's out of passion. I do this because I love it. It's not a job you understand. Yeah. I question myself like why did I get here? How come did I came from where I came from and get here? Then I find all those reasons and then therefore I put my staff together. Right. Maybe some people do. Some people clearly need people to help them to control their self. I see that in a lot of fighters basically they need like a coach or something. Somebody to tell them what to do. Like they don't know. Like to tell them what time to train. You know you have a fight. You're going to you schedule your training at this time.

1:08:05You have this and this to work on. You can schedule that and get there every day. At the same time do your thing. Go home. Get ready for another day. But some people do need somebody to get them that. So do you schedule all your training? Yeah. Everything. Schedule everything. Really? Yeah. And my team, I organise all my team. You know mostly about people that I feel the good energy about. Because again I don't believe in so many things. I don't believe in like, oh this guy is the great. He's a great trainer. He can do this now. I believe that everything comes from a fighter and the energy that people around him can bring.

1:08:49Can help him win. So when I in my team I favour people energy. People like how the energy that they bring around. You know I favour them and that's how I judge if somebody is best or not. It's by his energy. And that's how I get along with the pretty much everybody of my team. We I judge everybody based on this energy. If I feel like this is I rather have a good person next to me. And then not to say my team, my team is great. They are all great. Everybody is very professional. Commit. But if I feel like somebody has this energy and not even great as great. I prefer that person than somebody that is a great trainer and don't bring that energy.

1:09:45Because the energy is very important. You know when you start to get tired when you're in the tough situation the voice that you can listen and trust is more important than the technique that you can learn. You can know all the techniques in the world and you should get there your mind is not right. You are not doing shit. So the energy of the people you got that's all down. You got a great trainer and do a Cooper. He's fantastic. I get I get do a Cooper even Eric. Eric Nixig. Eric Nixig. Amazing. We're still here. Because I remember even how we get together he wasn't more like a coach. I was in a fight in junior dos Santos and I have only do we Cooper or win Marquero on my team.

1:10:35I reached out I asked Marquero we should bring somebody in the corner or something and he talked about Eric. I always meet Eric around and it's nice. I'm like yes let's try him and then we get to the locker. Suddenly I feel the energy was great. I'm like man this is good. I like this vibe in my team. That's for me is enough. That's why I sometimes I understand. Once I saw Mike Perry he went to a fight with only his wife in his corner and then people were criticizing him. I understand him. He's doing the right thing. He understands how the games work. He just wants to voice that can speak to him when he's tired.

1:11:21Somebody that he trusts and all those stuff and everything. He already knows how to fight. He knows how to fight. Because nobody is going to raise your hand and pinch on somebody. Nobody is going to dodge your pen for you. Nobody is going to say oh knock him out now. Fighting game is mental, more mental and improvisation. So you schedule everything. You schedule your strength and conditioning. You schedule your sparring. You schedule everything. You just do it all based on how you feel and what you need to get done. No, I schedule, I get a strength and conditioning. For example, for this camp I get the trip out here with me.

1:12:07So we talk about the goal. What is the goal? What is the deficiency? Where do we want to get by the fight? We are 12 weeks out. Okay, what is what we want to work on? And what would be the good space? Then we get that schedule. Then with the boxing team, we speak around. But I always try to get my team together. So sometimes they can just walk together. They don't always need to come to me on staff. You know, my team can communicate together on my schedule. But yes. So when you train, you do strength conditioning. Are you using a heart rate monitor? Are you paying attention to your resting heart rate?

1:12:55What it's like when you wake up? Your heart rate variability? Do you get involved in any of those things? Sometimes, no, always. Sometimes I even do the tests to see where I am at. The VL2 max. Yeah. Yeah, even the VL2 max. But we focus on, I think, like, the most important thing for me right now. My injuries. So about my injuries, you know. Do you have other injuries other than your knee? An injury, no. I mean, you get sore. Well. If you get to a training camp to the end without paying somewhere, then you better worry. You probably didn't do enough. Yeah, you probably didn't do it right. So that's the thing.

1:13:46That's the reality of the sport. You can train hard for three months and feel great every day and don't feel like something's wrong. That's mean. Yeah. You're not doing something right. Is it easier to train for boxing because you don't have to do the wrestling, you don't have to do the kicking. Is it less likely that you get injured? Sometimes you think so, but when you get there, it's different. You know, like in the first two weeks, it wasn't even a training camp. It was a pre -camp. My first two weeks in boxing, straight boxing, I felt it different. Of course, you get excited because you're not going to kick or take down or this.

1:14:33It's just boxing. Or you're not going to, you don't risk injury for your knee and that, because now I always think about my knee. Then you get there, you start to hit, meet, hit parts, do all those stuff. Always your hands up and then your shoulders start to hurt. Then you throw more punch in two weeks than you have ever thrown in a training camp in the two -three month training camp. Then you're like, ah, there is a difference. You know, your shoulder feels different. Like, it's not the same thing. In MMA, you throw one, two, kick, one, two, three, kick. One, take down a daily boxing, K -sht, all those stuff.

1:15:15Now in boxing, your hands has to go all the time. And when he's not going, he has to be on your face protecting your face. Otherwise, you're going to eat that punch clearly. Yeah. So when you prepare for a fight like this, you've never had a big professional boxing fight before. And this is the biggest of all time. I mean, you're literally fighting the greatest heavyweight of all time. How do you know when to peak? How do you know when you're ready? Because you haven't done this kind of training before? You will never be ready. Even at the finite, you will always think like, oh, if I have this, maybe I should have done this.

1:16:00Instead, maybe I just would have heard me, you know, when is the go time you have to go? So you just have to make sure to get there in your best, you know? The best you can do. The best you can do without burnout because there's also a balance in between. Right. Because if you overdo, then you burn out by the time you get to a fight. That's why I was asking about heart rate monitors and checking your resting heart rate and heart rate variability. Because one of the best ways to find out if you are over trained is to check your resting heart rate when you wake up first thing in the morning. And if it's up eight beats a minute, 10 beats a minute, most likely you went too hard.

1:16:37And then they suggest like an active recovery day, a lighter training day, or you're still moving, you're still working on technique, but you're not pushing. You're not really pushing. And you, even when your heart rate monitor indicated that, I used to use the oral watch. And when it indicates, it almost indicates how you feel. You feel it. You know, they say, and then when you have a good team, they can also measure the mass of your training. And they can also walk around it. They know, okay, Monday and Tuesday we went hard on this. When they have to be slow on this, you know, maybe work on technique or like on the strain on this.

1:17:24And that, all those aspects. And that's why a team is very good about it. Because you can like, by yourself think about everything. No, you need other people. Yeah, you need other people to help you. Because things get so big, you need other people to help you. And everybody is kind of like, you have his own department to worry about. And so when you're training, how much sparring are you doing? How many days a week? Three or two, sometimes it depends. Again, how you feel and how the recovery been, how was the sparring. You know, sometimes you get sparring and you feel like, yeah, even though you did the amount of round that you're supposed to do.

1:18:14But you wasn't that intense and this. Then the next day, no, maybe you keep, you push again, you know. And sometimes you just go to a sparring and that's when it's hard. The guy gives you a hard time, you push the pace is high. And then next day, maybe you need to recovery. Not like recovery, but slow it down, give your shoulder some rest. Because you always end up on maybe heavy bags. Like it's all about that balance. But it's like two, three, two, three, eight weeks. And are you sparring with any world class heavyweights?

1:18:56World class so far. No, the only guy that I used to spout with, which is a world class heavyweight, it's Carlos Takam. And he's now just coming in the training camp because he's also going to fight on the card. Yeah, which is a world class. And we're going to get, they were talking about some guy that we were bringing, like, experienced fighters boxer to spout. What is it like for you to spar boxers and not be able to kick, not be able to take them down? Does it create any adjustment for you? I wasn't an expert of kicking either way. But you kick hard. Again, I wasn't an expert of kicking. And I wasn't an expert of taking down.

1:19:46But you did defend your heavyweight title. A lot of it with wrestling because of your knee. Yeah, because I couldn't do that was the only option that I had. I couldn't, I wasn't comfortable moving. I was apparently. You went, we should tell people, you went into that fight to defend your heavyweight title with torn knee ligaments. Yeah, your knee was fucked up going into that. It's here, MCL. That's crazy. Miniscuous. And you're fighting Cyril Gahn, who's the most agile, light -footed heavyweight division. He moves everywhere. Ooh. I'm like, okay, you need, I need to figure a way. Nobody moves like that guy.

1:20:23Yeah. But one thing that hurt me into that fight a lot, I believe in myself. I know that I'm going to get him. I wasn't looking for knockout once again. I wasn't looking for knockout, but I know that I'm going to have my opportunity at some moment in the fight. That's where the first two rounds, I was a little worried about how to move on these and that, like, oh, my knee, all these, you know. But I was too confident. And after the first two rounds, I'm like, man, I'm losing. You can't end like this. No, no like this. We need to do something. Switch it up. Switch it up, man. Yeah. Was that a satisfying victory for you, though, knowing that you could beat one of the best heavyweights in the world with only one leg?

1:21:16He was the... I... Satisfying? Yes, by far the best. Because there was... It wasn't one fight at that night. That night, I was fighting like four, but I was fighting my demons, my knee, this, everything. The contract. I was fighting the contract. I was fighting the narrative. I was fighting everything that can go wrong. And I couldn't strip this fight better than this. If you asked me, like, how would you like to win? I would say knockout, obviously, which is the easiest way. But everybody predicted me to be like, okay, he has a chance in the two first rounds to knock Syria out. After that, his power is going down, then his cardio is going down.

1:22:02He has nothing. He was the completely opposite way. He said, oh, Syria and Ghana has a cardio after two rounds, after a fight. He can fight two fights tonight. I'm like, bro, come on. It depends. You know, at the end of the fight, I'm like, I'm not sure that he's ready to fight another fight. To take another fight tonight. You know, and unlike what they predicted, I lost the two first round. And I started to win from the third round, which is like the contrary of what they predicted. But nobody knew that your knee was that fucked up either. The UFC knew it was injured. They let you round right.

1:22:42No, no, they know everything. They knew everything? Yeah. When I did the MRI, he went to Dr. Division, and then when he was explaining it to me, he said, only four people know about this by now. Dana Hunter, you unright. That's how he was explaining it. Did you consider pulling out of the fight?

1:23:07I thought, yeah. You know, in the perfect scenario, I would have pulled out of the fight. You know, but I didn't want to give them the opportunity. Another extension. It wasn't about the extension. It was just to bury me. I don't want to give the opportunity to bury me. You know how, you know how in this world they say, okay, I'm going to die with my soul in my hand. Yes. Yeah, it was about, it was like, okay, I'm dying with my soul in my hand. Yeah. Phew, that's a lot of pressure. Yeah. But when I heard about, when they explained me what was going on in my knee, I was very worried. Then for somehow, I call, I call Camaro, or he called me.

1:24:00Anyway, we were in the phone. And we were talking, and he explained me like what he had and these. And I remember once I saw him in Vegas, when he thought I think it was Kobe Carvington the first time. And the guy was mess of men. He was working like this in the fire week, getting coaches on shot here and there. I'm like, damn, this guy is going to fight. No, maybe he was Tyron Woodland. So this guy is going to fight on Saturday. I was so worried. I feel bad about it. Man, at that night, he was sharp. This is the guy that I saw him on Wednesday. He was barely able to work. He was sharp. And I know exactly what was wrong with him.

1:24:52So that kind of like hurt me to believe that, man, when comes the moment, you know, fighting your fighting instant would take off. Camaro is so strong mentally. Oh, man. People knew how bad his knees are. His knees are so bad. He has to go backwards downstairs sometimes. Sometimes, yeah. And then you'll be like, oh, his hips, his knees. I'm like, bro, you can't pull out the fight. No, he's going to fight. And then he shows up to the fight. Looks perfect. Looks perfect. There is no way that he's, you know. So I kind of like, that's kind of like inspiring me, feel better about myself. I'm like, man, I can't do this.

1:25:36You know, like, it's not over yet. Right. I have something left. So I keep, even though I couldn't train anymore, I couldn't rest. So I couldn't do anything. And I was triwitch the way from triwitch and half a way from the fight. So I started to focus on my air bike, you know. Cardio. Cardio, up, work, you know, body work. But it wasn't easy. But I think my air bike helped me a lot because from not being trained for over three weeks before the fight. And get there like that. Wasn't too bad. That airbag's a motherfucker. The air bike. Yeah. Airsoft. I use the echo bike, the rogue echo bike. No, I always use the assort.

1:26:19I like the assort one. You know, I like the grind. Like, you feel the monster. Yes. You feel the monster, like you're pushing to your knee. So you get work out. Yeah. I have it in my living room. I sat in the room and put it in front. And I would ride that thing like for hour. Yeah. To work on my cardio. Yeah. It's amazing for cardio. My favorite machine. And for heavy weight, you better, it's not great for you being out there running in the concrete or putting all those weight on your joint. With the assort with the airbag, you do the same thing without putting all those stress into your joint.

1:27:00I'm like, man, I think this is like probably the best device for me. No, it's the best device for a lot of people. It's a phenomenal piece of equipment. So what else are you doing for recovery? Do you get massages? Do you use the sauna? Do you use the cold plunge? What else do you do? Physical therapy. I just get a cold plunge from plunge. And then I started that up. I was able to make it work this week. I used that. I do the hyperbary. Oh, nice. Yeah, I do the hyperbary chamber. I have a friend in Vegas who has a hyperbary store.

1:27:44She's even partnered with Misha. They have a disem one hyperbary. So I go there sometimes. They have this hot core. I used to get someone in my house, but he will be the soft one. Yeah, it's not as good. No, you can only go to 1 .3 or something. Yeah, you want to. Yeah. With the hot one, you go to the shop. Which they always explain. That means two environments. Two to twice the normal oxygen in the environment. Yeah. So I go there time to time, dive into that thing. No, that's phenomenal for recovery. Yeah. That's great. So you're using all most sophisticated materials and equipment. And what about supplements?

1:28:31Do you have someone who monitors your supplements and your nutrition? I try. Yes, for nutrition always. When I have a fight, I have a chef. Yes, I have a chef. I always do do that when I have a fight. But for supplement, I don't know. I never able to connect with to like get along with supplement. And I always like, I don't know. Take them. Don't take them. Forget to take them. Yeah, take them. Dock take them. I used to be at the PI and then a gland that will always like get those back ready for me and with all the vitamins and how to take it everyday. And I would take it like two, three, four days and after.

1:29:14This quit. Did you notice the difference? Taking it or not taking it? I don't know. It's all hard, right? I don't know. It's all hard. It's really hard. One thing that you don't have to think about with this fight is your weight. Like you don't have to make the 265 pound weight limit. Where? Like what are you walking around that? It's the different because like the weight limit, even when I fight MMA, sometimes I get there at 260 below 260. I don't, it's not because I'm caught in weight. We're not thinking about it. Yeah, I'm not thinking about it. I mean, I do work in order to like get my weight down, but I don't caught weight.

1:29:52I don't like have a big process of diet, you know, to caught weight. No, I just train properly and eat properly with the chef and sometimes I myself to get there. But even now I still have to think about it because I quote, based on the game plan, you know, I don't want to have an extra 10 pound or necessary 10 pound on me. But at the same time, I don't also want to lose a stream because as I said, this guy is a big dude. Yeah. And he has his skills to like to lean on people, weigh them down, stuff like that. You know, I think they're going to be a little bit of a wrestling there. I need to get my strength right.

1:30:38So he has to be a balance. And I walk around like 275 to 80.

1:30:50I don't know, I depend on how we decide to go. So without giving away too much of your strategy, how do you envision this fight taking place? Like what you've never boxed a heavyweight like him before, you obviously have tremendous skills and power. How do you envision this fight taking place? Well, it's very hard to envision. You know, sometimes I just visualize the fight, me, they're in the ring. I suppose I'm going to be the blue corner being there waiting for him to get in the ring. He knows all the sides of the ring. He's been there. He knows all the corners, how to move, how to cut everything.

1:31:42And I'm going to be there for you out. How to cut the ring. It's really hard. I think I'm just going to focus on being composed. Don't think about too much stuff. And again, I would like to knock out. But Tyson is very slick. And you can go like you want to knock him out. So I'm preparing in the way that this fight can go all the way to Ten Row. Which is a disadvantage for me. I never fight boxing at that level. So managing my energy, how are you going to be feeling with all the pressure that are adrenaline? How are you going to be in the Ten Row? How can I maximize the most?

1:32:46I visualize it a lot. I think about it trying to be there that night waiting for him, say him, come, do his show. Get there, try to do his slick stuff. You know, wave me down. Slay dirty boxing, come close. Try to lean on my head because he's taller than me. But I think, yeah. But I think I can handle that dirty, dirty boxing properly. Because usually like boxing guy, I have seen a lot inspiring. And things everybody want to do the same thing like Tyson, like trying to prepare you for that. They stay those wrestling tricks that you can get into. Sometimes I like, I'm like, go under the shoulder and step in the back.

1:33:42Which is something that boxer doesn't do, they don't know. So yeah, I don't have to worry about that still. Are you going to have, like I know that when Sugary Leonard made his comeback, one of the things that he did was he had actual fights. Like to prepare himself so he didn't have any ring rust, he would have actual fights in the gym with like regulation sized gloves, no head gear, Ten rounds, 12 rounds, whatever it was, he would have actual fights. I think we had that a lot of time. I mean, we fight MMA with four ounce gloves, right? And we don't fight with head gear. We kick and everything.

1:34:26So I'm not worried about that. And we used to spar when you MMA fighter, they don't spar boxing with the protection. The head gear and stuff, they're just going the gym. They don't worry the size of their gloves. But boxing guys, they come to the gym, everything is checked. Like what's the size of the gloves? The check, the head gears, the knees, the cup and all the stuff. I mean, now I do that to protect myself. I have a fight in less than six weeks. So I take all those precautions. But I don't think I'm going to do that by now. If I was six months out, yes, I can do something like that. But now I have no interest of doing that.

1:35:12I know I can deal with that. I have gotten hit with four ounce gloves in the fight. I've been there. I haven't done boxing yet, but I have been in fighting more than once. So I'm going to be okay. And one thing that we are going to talk about is, Tyson Gloves is very tricky with his glove. I think it's true. I've heard a lot of complain about his gloves, which is like his glove has no protection. Where have you heard this from? Even when he fought the anti -wilder, he complained about that. Direct to Zora, complain about that. And that's what we are talking about the team. And then I'm like, oh, yes, the UK commission, the gloves, I'm like, bro, we're going to get there.

1:36:06We need every glove to be checked. You don't tell me about this commission. All the gloves get to be checked. I don't want, if you want us to fight bare hands, bare neckles, let's go bare neckles. But don't give me a 10 ounce gloves and wear it. Six ounce gloves because he has no protection. Do you really think he's doing that? I think so. I mean, I have heard. I've seen the D .R. tell you about their videos, but they're not convincing. Here's why. They're showing those videos in slow motion. And in slow motion, it looks like his glove is flopping all over the place. But that's just because it's in slow motion.

1:36:47When you watch him boxing, he's doing this. He flicks, flicks, flicks. He shows you it. Pop! Then he drops a big punch in. But. So in slow motion, it looks like it's all floppy. Like it's not connected. And you think that the gloves are really like just flopping around and where his knuckles are is where the wrap is. But that's not the case because if you look at the length of his arm. Yeah, but his open and complex about his gloves. Yeah, I don't know if they're right. I mean, they might not be. I don't know if they're right. We have to check that. Yeah, well, I'm sure. I think it's legit. I think he's legit.

1:37:22I just think he's that good. No, he's good. He's good. And his style of keeping that hand loose and flicking. So sometimes that wrist opens way up. And if you look at it in slow motion, people are like, look, his glove's not even attached. His glove's attached. You don't know what the fuck you're talking about. Because after he does this, he does this. There's no way he's doing this if his glove's not attached. It's attached. He just loses his hands. Because he, he a lot of his punches, he's just showing you things. He's showing you things. He's showing you things. He's showing you this. And then he's doing all this.

1:37:53So a lot of it is loose. And he's just popping you at that. Like a whip. Yeah. Well, I think we have nothing to lose by a double check. Nothing to lose by double check. Yeah, because they said there's been more than once that people talk about his gloves. Right. And even his opening, even his opening. Yeah, I'm sure they talk about it. He kicks their ass. People looking for reason. Like, Deonte Wilder thought he got poisoned. You know, he thought a lot of things. But you know, that's because the guy is that good. He's fucking good, man. You know, and I just think that style, when you look at it in slow motion, it might look like his gloves are not attached, but they are most certainly attached.

1:38:31But in the boxing world, you have to worry about everything. You're right. You're right. You're right. You're right. You have to worry about everything. Yeah. I mean, if somebody says something in the boxing, you better just double check. Double check. Double check. What has Tyson brought to the table, like training with Mike Tyson? Like, what did he help you with? And what kind of strategies did he give you? And what kind of thought process? Like, what is his approach to you fighting Tyson Fury? I mean, I've seen that patient make me feel like you don't really understand. Like, I grew up idolizing Tyson Mike Tyson.

1:39:09Yes. Right? Everybody did. And then I say, as having a dream to become a walk -glass boxer, my first boxing match, Mike Tyson, is in the gym like, oh no, days, that, that. I'm like, come on in a moment. Like, this is real. This is how, this way I get. So it's real. This is the first boxing match. Yeah, this is the first boxing match. I get Mike Tyson's cheer. Like, even mentally, just thinking like that. Like hearing him cheer you are. Sometimes I'm like, yes, it's him, right? Like, I'm not tripping. You have a check, because it's really Mike Tyson. You're like, okay, this thing is serious. And not only is there, and he believes that you can beat this guy.

1:39:57That's how it is. So, like, he put his faith on you, a guy that have done everything in boxing, that is there. I'm like, so he's seen me as somebody that can do this. We were talking about like mental stuff, these some mental stuff that are heavy, right? Not to mention this technique, Mike Tyson has a unique style, that I'm not, I wish I had a style, but I'm not going to expect to copy his style because he's unique to him. But he's also built very different. But he's built different. He was always shot, the shortest guy in the room. So with his opponent, which is the case in this fight with the shortest technique, if I can get, and then one thing that people always see is how strong he was.

1:40:51He was knocking people out. And nobody was impressed of how he was able to move from left to right. And this, how he, this footwork and all those stuff, how he was, that shot and was able to get into the distance when he wanted to hit and all those stuff, right? Which is something that very interesting. With Mike Tyson, one best thing that you can get from Mike Tyson is the footwork. Footwork. Footwork. Change from left to right. Because in boxing, everything is about your foot. And his footwork, his power was based on his, a base on his footwork. Like when you have a good base, your punch is definitely stronger when you don't have a good base.

1:41:39How to have that good base to send your punch when you're base. And if you look at Mike Tyson or his fight in his career, he was all about the base, the footwork. Yes. I watch his training sometime on YouTube still, and then you see how he's flipping. You're like, it's not possible that he will be going to do it. No, for a heavyweight, that's his case. So here's the case where he's going to do it. Look, and this was four years ago. This was the first time that I met Mike Tyson. This was in 2019. On his podcast. And he was always about his footwork. Yeah, I mean, he was so well trained. And when he was young, the way he would move in and move.

1:42:28Yeah, look, look. And he gets you go on that knee, you're like, okay, everything, everything is in the leg, in the tie. You do that like twice, you're like, okay, I think I need some low body workout. I'm just throwing it out. Yeah, he had a lot of footwork and movement. That's why his leg is like this big, like a tree trunk. Right, a lot of bobbing and weaving too. Yeah. People forget they just think it was a hard puncher. Yeah, no people. Yeah, people. He showed you how he showed me how he was training for his leg. You know, go all the way down and do like this duck work and stuff. I'm like, man, come on.

1:43:10And that's what he did all this career. And people that people don't see that, they just see like, oh, he hit hard, he's strong. You know, no, he's technical and he's hard worker. Technical, hard worker, tremendous speed, perfect technique, everything. Yeah. All the above. Any hits hard. Yeah, everything. I mean, when you put all the orders, when you combine all those stuff, there's no way you don't hit hard. Right, right. So is, does he have an idea like looking at your frame and Tyson Fury's frame? Does he have an idea of the way you should approach the fight? Does he give you pointers like what he thinks that you would do that would be successful against Tyson Fury?

1:43:51Of course, because he, his entire career, he almost fight people that, that was like Tyson Fury. Right. So, and that's why I explicitly went to him about this fight because I felt like, again, if I was able to have like a, let's say, a quarter of what Mike Tyson has, this fight would be easy fight. I think so, really? I mean, there's not an easy fight, but he will be easy to fight. Wow. I mean, out of all your day, 24 hours a day, how often do you think about the fight? Every minute? Not every minute, but...

1:44:43Well, not that you're talking about it. I don't even know that I'm thinking about a fight when I think about the fight. Right. It's just natural. It's just natural, it's my life. You know, it's like the most important thing is what I do every day. Even when I don't fight, even when I don't have a fight, I think about fight. It's just like my thing. So, I can't tell exactly how often I think about the fight. But I know sometimes I'll go to sleep and then he will just come in my mind and then you start to think, you know, start exploring those stuff. And sometimes it's exciting. I mean, most of the time it's exciting.

1:45:23Sometimes it's also nervous. Yes, you also know what's about the thought that you have. You know, like, I'm like, hey, man. Maybe I'm missing this. Maybe I'm not taking this serious. Maybe it is. Maybe that. Maybe that. So, which is good? Because after you have those feelings, those moments that you are not too confident, sometimes you wait. I think I shouldn't go to bed. I didn't do enough today. No, I shouldn't do enough today. I need to do more. So, here we are now. What is today? September 21st. So, you're about six weeks out? Is it about five and a half? Five and a half weeks out. Five weeks and two days.

1:46:10So, you ramp up now and then you taper off the last week. And when will you be in Saudi Arabia? Earlier. A couple weeks out? Yeah. A couple weeks out. Three, four weeks. So exciting, man. Yeah. You would be there. I wish I could be there. Walk around. Because there's think about the fight. Yeah. Think about everything. Yeah. That single day that you walk and you change. Yeah. How what's going to happen? What would October 29 looks like? What do you think is going to happen? It's going to be a celebration. It's going to be a disappointment. What's going to be October 29th morning with you? Excited, guys.

1:47:01You feel like the king of the combustible? There it is. Look at that poster. Damn. That's a great poster. Oh, no. You haven't seen anything. Really? Anything at all. The production behind this fight. Insane. We have like five day production. Really? At some point I'm like, hey, guys. But the good thing about the production, wherever we are going for production, I have my team with me there. I'm like, I still have to train regardless of the promotion. I have a fight coming up. I have to keep my training schedule. And then that bring all my entire team with me from the chef to the coach. Nutrition.

1:47:45Everybody is with me. So I'm like, okay. Do you have a production for this fight? Hey, man. Prediction for this fight. Not giving out.

1:48:01No, no. I don't want to have a prediction because I will want to follow that my stick in my mind. I don't want to execute my prediction. Maybe just train properly. Let it flow. Get there and let what happened happen. Just fight. Focus on fighting. Make sure you fight. Make sure you're ready to give everything in there. Yeah. And some moment. Boom. It must be so exciting for you to have made that deal though because everybody said that wasn't going to happen. Yes. I read so many commentators saying Francis is wasting his time. They're never going to give him a fight. And then that was one. That was you were asking me like if this is a money.

1:48:54That was a money too. You know, once again to prove people wrong. Hey, you motherfucker. You're where wrong. I'm right again. Well, people don't know your story. How you went from Cameroon and went to Morocco and got sent back. We tried to make it across to Europe. What? Seven times? Seven times. I mean, I first succeeded seven times. But that kind of resolve and that kind of discipline and that kind of drive. That's very special. And I think you got something from that experience and to prove what you're capable of. No, don't think you have to know. I know. You have to know. Like sometimes, you know, sometimes I think about my life.

1:49:41When I was going to my upcoming, going through all this process, I was always pissed, upset. Like, why all those things happen to me? Are my cause? Like, what it is that anything can go right for me. But when I think about it today, even though I can go back to that path, I think it was a blessing. Because like the live lesson that I have learned from my junior seems like my youth. The junior was just preparing me for this moment, for the light that I'm having now. Like, you get to the point that you know the moment that I kind of like find out that I'm rich. It's not the moment that I check my bank account and see money.

1:50:30It's not the moment that I own a house. It's not the moment that I had a house. A car is the moment that I look, I check myself. I'm like, okay, what can possibly happen to me that I can handle? That I haven't seen. And I say nothing. I can handle everything. I can overcome everything. So, therefore, I was in a fray of anything. I can go ahead and let what happened happen. I'm not afraid of falling because I know that I have the ability to stand up. And that's what my life taught me. Again, even though I didn't choose that part, but he did taught me that way. And I think it's like one thing that carries me where I am now.

1:51:22So, let's talk about your PFL deal. So, where are they going to get opponents for you? Like, who's in the heavyweight division right now on the PFL?

1:51:36They're going to figure that out. So, they probably have to hire people. Just try to contract people that are... Yeah. And they are looking for your option because my fight is supposed to be... I'm supposed to fight in the PFL beginning of next year, February or March. So, after this fight in October, you'll take some time off and then go to MMA training. You can get ready for the PFL. There are some legit people in the division. There are these guys, Reina Ferrer. I think these guys are legit. Nobody is saying him. Nobody is really talking about him. I'm like, keep eyes on this guy. You're going to see.

1:52:24It's like six guys, Brazilian guy. But the way he moves, I'm like... The way he parks, the way he does things. If you check that guy, you can tell me about it. Yeah.

1:52:43So, there's... Other than that, what can they be who is in the roster right now? Anti -delay. It's anti -delay, I think. Yeah. So, they're probably going to have to recruit... Some top tier heavyweights, then why you need to fight them? I wish. Yeah. Otherwise, they have to make a tournament to get a winner that I'm going to fight. But I think they need some recruiting. And how many fights is your contract with the PFL? Multiple. Multiple? Multiple. Five, six. No, no, no, no. I can't get those. You don't want to get off my tails. But you're happy with everything, though? No, I'm happy. I'm happy the way that it goes, the way that it structure, how...

1:53:42How the freedom that I have inside the contract, and I'm also more happy and excited about the PFL Africa. Because in the deal, we have this PFL Africa that we have to launch in the beginning of 2025. And that's how we're going to expand MMA in Africa. You know, it's something that I've been working on trying out to get this there. And it was hard. And now I get a whole operation that's going to be dedicated for that. I mean, the work is in the process already. But we're going to... Begin in of 2025. So, I'm quite excited about that. I want to see some of those monster that are in Africa. Get there, come over, knock people out, shut their heads up.

1:54:41It's the October. One of the things you've done that's very nice is that you've negotiated a minimum purse for your opponents, too, right? Yeah. Yeah. Which is... I mean, I don't want just to feel like a guy that goes there and grabs the money. Okay, it gives me the money. I want this. I want that. And then I'm fighting this guy that probably doesn't have a chance. Because he's struggling. He can have a proper training. You know, I'm here having my fancy life, my organized training. I can have all the doctors that I want. I can have the team that I want, nutrition, nutritionist, this coach, that, that, that.

1:55:22And then I fight a guy that didn't have a chance. And he's in this big fight because without him, the fight... Without an opponent, the fight is not happening. So, he's a part of it. And I'm like, okay. Don't just make me look like they come, they grab and go guy. What is my opponent is having? It's going to be a big moment. It's going to be in the big fight. Right? What is it going to be for him? So, we set a minimum of two million for him. Wow. And again, that's a minimum. If they get somebody that have a leverage to negotiate for more, then you can negotiate for more. But if the guy is the guy that does have a leverage, then don't just have to pressure him.

1:56:12Like, oh no, you have to fight this opportunity. We are doing this for you. No, you are doing this for money. He better have his, has his own money. So, can we at least guarantee that for this magnitude of a fight, he will have at least two million as a person. And that was something that wasn't even difficult to have because, again, PFL was very open about that. He was like, that's our vision for this sport. Granted, we didn't have to go back and forth for that. That's amazing. That didn't take three minutes to get done. Because how much do you think an average UFC fighter is paying, getting paid in the heavyweight division for a fight?

1:56:56I don't know. I don't check their contract, bro. I know how much I was making and sometimes it wasn't fun. I know what I could have made, but I know that he was, I have to pay another price for that. What other price? Contra, freedom. Yeah. I mean, to... So, how good was the money that they were offering you to sign for the UFC? He was good. He was good enough, but... It's just the other part of it. The terms. Yeah. A lot of... Where's the PFL getting all this money? Because they don't have a pay -per -view model. So, how are they getting all this money? They are setting a super -pip -pip -view fight.

1:57:40So, I'm going to be... Free you when you fight. Yeah, when I fight. And there's also Jake Bond that will be fighting. Yeah, in this super fight. Who is he going to fight? Because they're... They're talking about him fighting Nate Diaz. I don't know. If they did that on an undercard with you, that would be a big draw. You know? And the boxing match is pretty close. Yeah. That would be massive. Yeah. It's a card. But, yeah. I like... And I do like the PFL business model. That structure as a business. Yeah. Well, my hope is that they... Well, it looks like they're buying Bellator, right? Yeah. I heard that.

1:58:23Nothing has been confirmed. I don't know why he's taking so long. We should have been hearing some news. If that happens, that changes a lot. Because then you get some real -idget heavyweight, you get some real -idget lightweight, Walter Waite's real -idget fighters. Yeah. Imagine the roster... Yeah. Merge. The merging of the roster. That would be very good. Very interesting. That would be interesting. You got guys like Johnny Elben, who's a high -level mid -weight, one of the best in the world. You get... So, you got really good fighters over there. Yeah. Yeah. I like that. But, you know, importantly for the fighters, there needs to be competition.

1:58:59There has to be options. They have to be option. They have to be competition. And at the end of the day, you, the heavyweight champion of UFC, leaving UFC and going to the PFL, is good for everybody. I believe. Because I believe it strengthens that organization, which strengthens the opportunities for fighters. Yeah. And maybe...

1:59:22Yeah. And maybe the fighters, because on top of that, some fighters, some fighters, they have one side of vision. They don't see it. They don't even know that they have other opportunities. Right. Which is something that makes things very complicated for them. They're just like, okay, whatever, what else can I do? I have seen people that get caught by the UFC and then they go somewhere else, what is in PFL. And I'm like, oh, I have a... Wow, I have a new life. I didn't know that I didn't make that much money on my team. Right. I remember once I saw a tweet and that tweet sticked in my mind. He was from Korea and Deson.

2:00:06Yes. After he left, he got... I think he got caught or he left the UFC and then had a deal with Bellato. And then he went there, he said, he'd make a tweet like, UFC gives me a career. Bellato gives me a life. I love that tweet. Yeah, he said he made way more money in Bellto. Yeah. I wonder why. I mean, like, after this fight, I'm going to go out there, fight in the PFL and for one fight in the PFL, I'm going to be making maybe twice or three times what I've made in my entire career or in my entire life. That's crazy. So you understand the difference between career and life. Yes.

2:01:00That's crazy. That's crazy. Good for you, man. Good for you. And good for the whole sport. I really believe that. I really believe that all that competition is good for the sport. I believe that so. And I think the sport is really changing. You know, like, now we get all those different organizations. And soon we're going to have something in Africa. Massive. There's already some organization in Africa but we need to get push. Camaro Osman has his own organization name. I think African knockout. There's like some organization in South Africa. Somewhere else too. And then, yeah, but with the PFL, the way that they're going to structure, the fund that they're going to, how they're going to fund it, this is going to be massive.

2:01:52Because we are structuring the PFL Africa as same as the PFL Europe. Because the PFL is having a regional PFL. So every fighter from Europe, PFL fighter from Europe is fighting in the one prune to get a champion. Then we can fight in the PFL Global. In Africa, they have the same, we're going to have the same thing. Which they're going to have basically almost the same paid. And when you think about the currency, it's make this in Africa like massive, massive economy investment in the economy. Because those guys are going to have money. And they're going to start thinking about like how they train properly, where would they train with?

2:02:41They're going to finance, they're going to pay people around them. And business is going to grow around it. And help infrastructure taking off and not doing those stuff. I'm very excited about it. And the reason why is because like sometimes I want to train home. And then I realize I can't have even a sparring partner, a religious sparring partner, because they don't even have where to train. They haven't been training properly. They don't have a high competition. They don't have stuff like that. They can dedicate their time that much for training rather than go working to provide for their family.

2:03:23But if they were able to dedicate all their time for training, how would that look like? Am I just as well more firm in a couple years and just have my training come here? Set something like what you did here in Africa. Yeah, I just sit there, have my come, have my training partners at home, enjoying it from there. And what an inspiration that would be for them. So young fighters that don't know am I ever going to have a future? And then someone comes from Cameroon, goes to the UFC, becomes a champ, goes to the PFL, fights Tyson Führer, and then comes back to Africa and trains with everybody. I'm back already.

2:04:07It's not like after fight Tyson Führer, I'm back. I have a foundation, I have a gym there, we just opened the second location. Beautiful. In Dora, and this is massive facility. That's awesome. Beautiful. Yes, we were hurt by a bearing company in the premier bed that helped us build this massive in the city, bro. Let's create. Yeah, in the city. And we are about to build the third one. We're trying to do some charity event, make them fight, because it's boring to just train and train and train. You know, they need something to motivate them. So we put some events, you know, like the fight, the fight people from different countries.

2:04:52So they get them excited. Yeah, focus, you know. So, well, and I enjoy that part. I enjoy that process. That's beautiful. Well, Francis, listen, congratulations on getting this deal. Congratulations on getting this fight. And I wish you all the best of luck in the Tyson Führer fight in the PFL fights, and if you're fighting, I'm watching. Thank you. Thank you. Unfortunately, you will not be calling. I can't be calling. Oh, man. I wish I could. I can't see you walking the actor gun with your mic. I think I'll be looking with Joe around. I won't be there, but I'll be there in spirit. Okay. All right.

2:05:37Well, thank you, my friend. I appreciate you very much. Thank you. Good luck to you. All right. Bye, everybody. Bye.

2:05:50Thank you.