A bold decision by Francis Ngannou in 2021 has come to define his career trajectory. Fresh off his heavyweight title win and with only one fight remaining on his UFC contract, Ngannou opted to bet on himself. He rejected a contract extension, choosing free agency over guaranteed UFC money. While the risk was evident at the time, the true weight of his gamble is only becoming clear now. For this reason at this time, he had to ask for help from his dear friend Kamaru Usman.

Their friendship has echoed on social media like thunder and lightning. Even the boxing champion Devin Haney has got to know about this deed of Kamaru Usman and developed a respect for him. Mainly because Usman hasn’t tried to boast about it in public and has always kept this generosity off the record. Haney was moved by this interesting tale of their cordial relationship.

Devin Haney draws inspiration

With this weekend’s heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou right around the corner, there have been a plethora of opinions regarding this bout. Even the WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney gave his two cents on the result of the fight. He went in the favor of Anthony Joshua, but that doesn’t lessen his respect for Francis Ngannou.

Furthermore, he was amazed to see the great bond between the two great fighters of this generation. So, in a post made by a fan on X, it was reported that Ngannou was offered $200,000 by Kamaru Usman at the time when he went almost broke. Moreover, they even mentioned how Usman never tried to advertise this incident in his own favor, which is a testament to their true friendship. Haney saw this news and instantly expressed his respect for such an act.

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Haney wrote, “Solid [Kamaru Usman].” Thus, praising the majestic nature of the former UFC welterweight champion. But it raises the question, who spilled the beans about this incident if it wasn’t Usman? Well, it was none other than Francis Ngannou himself.

Francis Ngannou narrates the unknown incident

Francis Ngannou revealed the wholesome story to the fans after his recent appearance on the Pound 4 Pound podcast hosted by Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo. He stated, “You were talking earlier about the contract that I turned down. You knew a lot about the stuff that I turned down from the UFC negotiation with my last fight in the UFC.”

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He continued, “I took $600,000 for my last fight in the UFC as opposed to $5 million that they were offering for the same fight. And I was broke. At the time I owed Usman $200,000. I was broke. It’s true!” Francis Ngannou’s gamble on free agency seemed to have been a winning bet later. After defeating Ciryl Gane in his final UFC fight, he rebuffed another offer from the organization, even one promising a hefty sum for a potential fight against Jon Jones.

Taking a chance on himself, Ngannou entered the world of free agency. This bold move paid off handsomely. He secured a lucrative deal with PFL, gained the freedom to pursue boxing, and landed dream matchups against heavyweight legends Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Now he’s secured the top position among the elite combat sports athletes. What are your thoughts about his relationship with Usman though? Let us know in the comments section.

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