Crossing oceans, deserts, national borders, and finally the entrance to the UFC ring, you've never heard a journey like Francis Ngannou's

 Francis Ngannou is a martial artist, professional boxer, and Lineal Combat Sports Heavyweight World Champion. He became UFC Heavyweight Champion in 2021 and holds an MMA record of 17 wins and 12 victories by knockout. 

In this conversation, Francis and Steven discuss topics such as, Francis’ painful childhood, how Francis worked in a sand mine aged 10 and dreamt of boxing, his struggle to find a place to train, and the death of his 15-month-old son. 

00:00 Intro
02:13 My Childhood: Surviving on Less Than $1000 a Year
06:17 Overcoming Struggles in Rural Cameroon
12:52 My Dream of Becoming a Professional Boxer
14:59 Choosing a Different Path Than My Father
17:27 Growing Up with a Violent Father
18:11 Coping with My Father's Death at 15
19:57 Wishing for One More Day with My Dad
24:22 The Struggles Of Chasing My Boxing Dream
25:30 The INSANE Journey to Reach Europe
28:41 How We Survived the Sahara Desert!
32:47 The Hardest Part of My Journey 
34:59 Waiting to Cross the Border
36:53 Two Ways Out: Swimming the Ocean or Climbing the Barbed Wire Fence
42:15 Six Attempts to Cross the Sea in a Dinghy
49:02 Months of Survival in the Forest
50:56 Evading Police Radars
58:26 Calling the Red Cross for Help
01:02:60 Two Months in a Detention Center
01:05:07 Surviving on 50 Euros
01:07:49 My Coach's Support: A Place to Stay and Guidance
01:10:15 My First Experience with MMA
01:11:12 Facing Rejection: No One Wanted to Fight Me in Paris
01:12:40 How I Made It to the UFC
01:14:20 My First Fight in America
01:16:04 Winning the UFC Heavyweight Title
01:21:10 The Conversation with Dana White
01:24:31 How the Contract Took My Freedom
01:27:44 The UFC Contract and Its Clauses
01:29:40 Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou
01:32:41 My Future Goals in Fighting
01:34:53 Ads
01:35:51 The Truth Behind the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou Fight
01:43:17 Coping with the Death of My Baby Son
01:47:29 Going Through Grief
01:52:37 Returning to Cameroon
01:59:05 The Last Guest Question

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