How many years did Francis Ngannou work in sand mines?

Discover the remarkable journey of Francis Ngannou as he toiled in sand mines for a significant number of years.

How many years did Francis Ngannou work in sand mines?

Francis Ngannou (Image Courtesy: Twitter)

Francis Ngannou is one of the most popular MMA fighters in the world and has an amazing and inspiring story of his journey. Ngannou was born in Batié, Cameroon and at the age of 26 moved to Paris to chase his dream of becoming a professional fighter. 

It took a lot of effort and sacrifice for Ngannou to become the UFC world heavyweight champion of the world. Before coming to France, Ngannou worked in various jobs to make ends meet. Due to difficult circumstances, Ngannou began working at the age of 10 in a sand quarry in Batié. At the sand mines, Ngannou had to lift heavy loads and manually drill soil.

YouTube video

Francis Ngannou opens up about his childhood and working at sand mines

During an interview with Joe Rogan, Ngannou mentioned that at a young age, he had to contribute to his family’s needs which pushed him to work in the sand mines. He had no option but to do the work for seven years till he graduated from school.

FS Video
Francis Ngannou (Image Courtesy: Daily Mail)
Francis Ngannou (Image Courtesy: Daily Mail)
I was about 10 years old when I started that because I was in the village where I grew up. After leaving my Aunt’s house, I went to my grandma and we had to do something. We had to work to contribute at home to buy oil, to buy food and also for our scholarship, for our books. You have to work, even though that work was meant for adults, but we didn’t have any option so we took what we had at the time.
Francis Ngannou via JRE

During that time, the ‘Predator’ was approached as a young boy to join various gangs in his village. Ngannou declined the offer because he didn’t want to retrace his father’s reputation as a street fighter.

Francis Ngannou still respects his roots even after becoming a huge superstar

All his hard work and sacrifices paid off when Francis Ngannou won the UFC heavyweight championship in 2021. He became a household name and was regarded as the baddest man on the planet for his destructive power. 

Francis Ngannou (Image Courtesy: PFL)
Francis Ngannou (Image Courtesy: PFL)

After leaving UFC, Ngannou now has signed with PFL and has managed to land an amazing contract. Despite all this, the fighter has not forgotten his roots as he frequently visits his Village in Cameroon.

Ngannou doesn’t shy away from doing the same work in the sand mines which he did for years. The fighter likes to stay connected with his roots so that he always remembers where everything started. 

FAQs

How many years did Francis Ngannou work in the sand mines?

He worked in the mines for 7 years.

Does Francis Ngannou still fight for the UFC?

No, he was signed by the PFL in 2023.

Where is Francis Ngannou originally from?

He is originally from Cameroon.

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