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#4 UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou
Francis Ngannou's introduction to combat sports was through boxing. When he reached French shores, the Cameroon-born fighter began training in the sweet science before its complicated system of promoters made him switch to MMA.
However, Ngannou has often been vocal about his love for boxing and was recently involved in an online spat with undefeated heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. He has also been linked to fights against Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua.
One of the hardest hitters MMA has ever seen, Ngannou isn't just a power puncher and has solid technique. He could soon become a fearsome boxer.
#3 Former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic
Another UFC heavyweight with impeccable boxing credentials, Stipe Miocic once took a year off MMA training to improve his pugilism. He even won the Cleveland Golden Gloves competition.
The former UFC heavyweight champion claimed that it made him a better fighter, and the effects of his training have been visible in the way he has outstruck most of his competition in the highly competitive division.
Speaking about how boxing helped shape his MMA career and why he chose to do it in the first place, Miocic said:
"Just to get better. I was an amateur working my way up, and I had time to do it, so why not do it. Taking that time off and learning how to better use my striking with the boxing, it made me such a better fighter. I actually started MMA first and then for over a year and a half I was boxing in my state and then I came back. Yeah, I thought about it but I just stuck with MMA."
Miocic has previously been linked to boxing bouts against Fury and Joshua. He once said:
“I would love to box. If there’s a chance I could fight Joshua or Fury or something like that, it’d be great."
Now embroiled in a dispute with the UFC, Miocic might make his way into the boxing ring sooner rather than later.
