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BEING FRANC

Mike Tyson protege and UFC star Francis Ngannou warns against ex-heavyweight champ’s comeback amid fears over safety

UFC star Francis Ngannou does not want Mike Tyson to make his return to the boxing ring.

The former heavyweight king is in training as he plans to compete in four-round exhibition fights for charity.

 Francis Ngannou has described Mike Tyson as his 'idol'
Francis Ngannou has described Mike Tyson as his 'idol'Credit: Instagram @francisngannou

But heavyweight star Ngannou - who has trained alongside Tyson - is concerned about the 53-year-old's safety.

He told ESPN's Ariel Helwani: "I think he has shown everything, he doesn't need to show nothing.

"Maybe he just wants to have fun, maybe he's bored, which is understandable.

"I don't just want him to gout there... he's not young anymore, so I just worry about his safety."

Tyson tipped Ngannou be a future UFC champion after his explosive win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

It took the 6ft 4in powerhouse less than 20 seconds to knock out his opponent at the behind closed doors event.

Ngannou - who was once homeless and penniless on the streets of Paris - met up with Tyson in November 2019.

And the UFC superstar even has a combo named after the former Baddest Man on the Planet.

Tyson has sent fans wild footage of his sparring in recent weeks, but they did not come as a shock to Ngannou.

He said: "I saw his video last time. I'm not shocked, not because it's not amazing, I was in the Mike Tyson ranch.

"I saw him move, he showed me something and I thought, 'this guy can still fight, it's still there'.

"He's 53 years old, but everything is still so on point, so when I saw that video, there was nothing in that video that I didn't see in person.

"Obviously it was amazing. I try and replicate the same combo many times, we work on his combo.

"If you look at my coaches, sometimes they say 'Mike Tyson combo'. One-two, left hook, body, body, roll, right hook."

 Francis Ngannou is concerned for the safety of the boxing legend
Francis Ngannou is concerned for the safety of the boxing legendCredit: Instagram @francisngannou
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