Mike Tyson Advises Francis Ngannou to Ramp up The Trash Talk

Francis Ngannou has had trouble finding fights in recent months, and his destructive campaign to secure another title shot, has yet to deliver one. So what else can Ngannou do?

Well, according to one of the all-time greats in boxing, Mike Tyson, “The Predator” needs to start talking more trash.

Tyson advises Ngannou to “make challenges, call people cowards

As it stands right now, it’s not clear who Ngannou is going to fight next, following his 20 second knockout of Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 249. Even before that victory, Ngannou was calling for a title shot, since he had taken out three straight opponents in less than three minutes total.

Despite Ngannou’s run, the expectation is that Daniel Cormier will face heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic later this year in a rubber match. As a result, while talking to Tyson recently on his ‘Hotboxin’ podcast, Ngannou said he doesn’t know what’s next for him.

Tyson proceeded to offer Ngannou this advice (quote via MMA Junkie).

“You’ve got to go out there and make challenges,” Tyson said. “You’ve got to make your challenge here. Go and talk.

Make challenges with these guys. Put them on television shows.”

“Go on television shows and say, ‘Why am I not fighting? I know you’re scared,’” Tyson said. “You should go, ‘Everybody is scared of me in the UFC. Have pride for your family. Your mother, your father, your sister, your children know you’re a coward.

Show your family some pride. Put pride on your family’s name, you coward. Your family name is going down. You’re the head of your family and you’re a coward. …

Think about your family. This is what you think? That means I can have your wife. This is my family now. If you’re not going to fight me, this is my family now.”

“You’re a kind man,” Tyson said. “I’m a kind man, but I do it to get in their heads. I had to get in people’s heads.”

Thoughts?

Now, there’s no question that trash talk grabs headlines, and depending on the fighter, it can motivate them to take fights they may not necessarily want.  Ngannou is becoming a big star on account of his fearsome power and wins, but if he ramped up the verbal warfare, chances are his platform would grow further.

But, at the end of the day, not everyone has the personality to be a trash talker, whether they’re a nice person or not. Not everyone can fire verbal insults and challenges well either.

So, is Ngannou the type of person who could do this? It’s possible, but “The Predator” seems to prefer doing his talking with his massive fists.