“If I meet a woman, I change sidewalks so as not to frighten her”: Francis Ngannou on his private life

Guest of the show What era on France 2, heavyweight MMA champion Francis Ngannou addressed an unexpected aspect of his life: the impact of his impressive 1.96 m physique and his imposing musculature in public places. If this physique allows him to reign in the octagon, it provokes contrasting reactions in daily life, particularly among women.

Francis Ngannou said that for a long time he was not aware of the intimidating effect he could produce. “Before, I didn’t realize how intimidating I could be. People have told me their first impression after meeting me, telling me that I scared them. I didn’t even realize it. I said: “But why am I afraid? » They answered me: “But have you seen yourself? “. For me, I was normal, and when I walked down the street, I didn’t think about that.”he explains. These returns pushed the Cameroonian fighter to take precautions to avoid generating a feeling of unease around him.

Now, in certain situations, he adopts simple gestures to calm passers-by. “ If I meet a woman, for example, I change sidewalks so as not to frighten her. We can see that this creates a climate of security », he confides, illustrating the attention he pays to those around him despite his impressive stature.

In parallel with this anecdote from everyday life, Ngannou recently made a sensational return to the arena in Saudi Arabia. Opposed to the Brazilian Renan Ferreira, he won his fight by knockout, thus marking a triumphant return after almost three years of absence in the octagon. Proof, once again, that the champion is not only a brute force, but also a person attentive to others and aware of the impact of his presence.