Francis Ngannou slept in parking lot for months whilst homeless in France

28 October 2023 , 16:15

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Francis Ngannou slept in parking lot for months whilst homeless in France

Francis Ngannou slept in an underground parking lot for months when arriving in France after a gruelling 14-month journey from Cameroon.

Ngannou, who fights Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia tonight, trekked his way through five countries before he finally settled in Paris and found a boxing gym that catalyzed his immensely successful combat sports career. When he touched down in the city of love, a homeless Ngannou stumbled across a Cameroonian man who recommended him a safe place to sleep.

“I had to find a place to sleep. I found a good underground parking lot and I was great for a couple of months. I was just so happy to be somewhere that I could have an opportunity. What you have to know is homeless people have a system that works for them," Ngannou said on Mike Tyson's Hotboxin ' Podcast.

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"I knew where to go and take a public shower. I registered for a locker to put my stuff and I went there twice a week to change my clothes. It was a public place, there was workers there, they had soap and everything. You would put your name down and give them your ID. It’s nothing like home but when you’re in that situation, it’s the best thing you can have.

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"It wasn't that complicated. You know where to go eat breakfast, eat lunch and eat dinner. The only thing you have to do is to keep your toothbrush and toothpaste in your backpack. You wake up every morning, find a park that is close to wash your face and brush your teeth. Ready to roll for the day."

Ngannou lived in Paris for four years before relocating to Las Vegas in the hopes of winning a UFC world title, a feat he achieved in 2021 by knocking out Stipe Miocic in their rematch. 'The Predator' explained why he and many other homeless people refused to accept gifts from members of the public when they lived on the streets.

"So many people with dignity when they are homeless won't accept gifts. To go to someone and say 'I need this, I need this', it's quite embarrassing. You have pride, so many homeless people have pride. Sometimes when you see homeless people, it's hard to help them because they have pride. They are working they're up, it's different from when people get there and give up," he said.

Harry Davies