Francis Ngannou’s transition to the world of professional boxing has seen the heavyweight champion enlisting the expertise of renowned boxing coach Dewey Cooper. Cooper, an accomplished figure in the boxing world, is preparing Ngannou for his highly-anticipated bout against Tyson Fury. With 25 professional boxing bouts, including encounters with future IBF cruiserweight champion Arthur Williams, and a K-1 Grand Prix kickboxing finalist, Cooper is well-equipped to guide Ngannou.
What makes Ngannou’s training truly unique is the involvement of legendary boxer Mike Tyson. Dewey Cooper, who also serves as the president of Team Combat League, highlights the subtleties Tyson brings to the training sessions. Tyson’s psychological motivation and unique understanding of punch delivery are invaluable additions to Ngannou’s preparation. Ngannou, a dedicated fan of Mike Tyson, found his initial inspiration to become a fighter by watching Tyson’s videos back in Cameroon, making Tyson’s mentorship even more meaningful.
“There are several nuances in the way punches are delivered and things of that nature. Mike Tyson has definitely added in that component and the psychological motivation,” stated the Team Combat League president during a conversation with CBS Sports.
“There is an intangible that Mike can bring that very few people can bring. Especially when the fighter who Mike comes to train with happens to be such a huge fan and is so motivated by Mike Tyson. If you know the Francis Ngannou story, watching the video of Mike Tyson back in Cameroon is what really sparked him to want to become a fighter. Watching that video of Mike Tyson motivated him to make that journey and become the man he’s become in the fight world.”
