Francis Ngannou recently expressed that the upcoming boxing match against Tyson Fury will bring him significantly higher earnings compared to his UFC contract. The reigning UFC heavyweight champion is set to face Fury in a highly anticipated exhibition bout on August 20 in Dubai.
In an interview with MMA Fighting, Ngannou revealed that he stands to make "multiples" of what he earned throughout his UFC career. Although he did not disclose the exact figure, he emphasized that the pay would be "very significant" and described the difference as "night and day" compared to his UFC earnings.
Ngannou's UFC contract was reportedly valued at around $3.5 million over seven years, making him one of the lowest-paid champions in the promotion. As reported by The Mirror, Francis Ngannou's earnings from the Tyson Fury fight are expected to surpass the £6 million ($8 million) per fight deal that the UFC offered him to become their "highest paid athlete" and extend his contract last year.
On the other hand, Tyson Fury is renowned as one of boxing's highest-paid athletes, with an estimated net worth of more than $100 million. His recent fights against Deontay Wilder have garnered him millions of dollars.
This significant pay disparity between Ngannou and Fury reflects the contrasting financial structures of the UFC and boxing. The UFC operates as a closed promotion, retaining a substantial share of the revenue generated by its events. In contrast, boxing is an open sport that allows fighters to negotiate their own contracts with promoters, resulting in potentially higher earnings.
Ngannou's decision to pursue a boxing match against Fury indicates his willingness to take on additional risk in order to maximize his earnings. It also signals his discontentment with his current situation in the UFC. The upcoming bout presents an opportunity for Ngannou to showcase his worth outside the UFC and potentially secure a lucrative boxing career.
This development poses challenges for the UFC as it faces increasing competition from boxing. Ngannou's dissatisfaction with the UFC's pay structure highlights the need for the promotion to address the issue in order to retain top-tier fighters. While the UFC introduced a new pay-per-view revenue-sharing program in 2021 to provide fighters with a larger share of the event revenue, further adjustments may be required to match the earning potential of boxers.
