The Diary of a CEOFrancis Ngannou: From sand mine boy to UFC champion
Francis Ngannou recounts crossing the Sahara on a pickup truck; six failed sea attempts, a Paris car park, and the loss of his 15-month-old son.
Episode Details
EPISODE INFO
- Released
- August 8, 2024
- Duration
- 2h 7m
- Channel
- The Diary of a CEO
- Watch on YouTube
- ▶ Open ↗
EPISODE DESCRIPTION
Francis Ngannou is a martial artist, professional boxer, and Lineal Combat Sports Heavyweight World Champion. He became UFC Heavyweight Champion in 2021 and holds an MMA record of 17 wins and 12 victories by knockout. 00:00 Intro 02:13 My Childhood: Surviving on Less Than $1000 a Year 06:17 Overcoming Struggles in Rural Cameroon 12:52 My Dream of Becoming a Professional Boxer 14:39 Choosing a Different Path Than My Father 17:07 Growing Up with a Violent Father 17:51 Coping with My Father's Death at 15 19:37 Wishing for One More Day with My Dad 24:02 The Struggles Of Chasing My Boxing Dream 25:10 The INSANE Journey to Reach Europe 28:21 How We Survived the Sahara Desert! 32:27 The Hardest Part of My Journey 34:39 Waiting to Cross the Border 36:33 Two Ways Out: Swimming the Ocean or Climbing the Barbed Wire Fence 41:55 Six Attempts to Cross the Sea in a Dinghy 48:42 Months of Survival in the Forest 50:36 Evading Police Radars 58:06 Calling the Red Cross for Help 01:02:40 Two Months in a Detention Center 01:04:47 Surviving on 50 Euros 01:07:29 My Coach's Support: A Place to Stay and Guidance 01:09:55 My First Experience with MMA 01:10:52 Facing Rejection: No One Wanted to Fight Me in Paris 01:12:20 How I Made It to the UFC 01:14:00 My First Fight in America 01:15:44 Winning the UFC Heavyweight Title 01:20:50 The Conversation with Dana White 01:24:11 How the Contract Took My Freedom 01:27:24 The UFC Contract and Its Clauses 01:29:20 Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou 01:32:21 My Future Goals in Fighting 01:34:33 Ads 01:35:31 The Truth Behind the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou Fight 01:42:57 Coping with the Death of My Baby Son 01:47:09 Going Through Grief 01:52:17 Returning to Cameroon 01:58:45 The Last Guest Question Follow Francis: Instagram - https://g2ul0.app.link/1NxVsZgZPLb Twitter - https://g2ul0.app.link/LLWRzrkZPLb Watch the episodes on Youtube - https://g2ul0.app.link/DOACEpisodes My new book! 'The 33 Laws Of Business & Life' is out now - https://g2ul0.app.link/DOACBook You can purchase the The Diary Of A CEO Conversation Cards: Second Edition, here: https://g2ul0.app.link/f31dsUttKKb Follow me: https://g2ul0.app.link/gnGqL4IsKKb Sponsor: ZOE - http://joinzoe.com with an exclusive code CEO10 for 10% off
SPEAKERS
Francis Ngannou
guestSteven Bartlett
host
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of The Diary of a CEO, featuring Francis Ngannou and Steven Bartlett, Francis Ngannou: From sand mine boy to UFC champion explores from Desert Crossings To Devastating Loss: Francis Ngannou’s Relentless Fight Francis Ngannou traces his journey from extreme poverty in rural Cameroon to becoming UFC heavyweight champion and a headline boxing star, detailing the brutal realities that shaped his mindset. He recounts working in sand mines as a child, crossing the Sahara on a pickup truck, surviving nearly a year in Moroccan forests, and making seven attempts to reach Europe, including six failed sea crossings. In Paris, he slept in a car park while pursuing boxing and then MMA, eventually reaching the UFC, clashing with Dana White over contractual freedom, and earning life‑changing purses against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. The conversation culminates in his raw account of losing his 15‑month‑old son, his struggle with grief, and his attempt to find a new purpose in fighting and life.
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