The countdown is on for Francis Ngannou's massive crossover fight with heavyweight boxing world champion Tyson Fury, and going by a recent video that has been posted to YouTube, he's got the perfect trainer in his corner for the bout.

The former UFC champion is preparing to step into a boxing ring for the first time ever and, similarly to when Conor McGregor fought Floyd Mayweather, he is fighting one of the very best to do it. Many people believe Ngannou doesn't stand a chance against Fury's skill-set, but that hasn't stopped one of the most legendary heavyweights of all time from training the Cameroonian fighter.

Who is Francis Ngannou's trainer?

It has been revealed that none of than 'The Baddest Man on the Planet' Mike Tyson is training Ngannou for his clash with Fury. A video posted to Tyson's YouTube channel shows the pair hyping the fight, as well as including a montage of Ngannou's training so far.

In the clip, we see Tyson teaching the MMA fighter how to do his signature bob and weave in order to get on the inside of his opponent. Ngannou recreates it, and while it's not as polished as his new trainer's, it's certainly impressive!

The pairing of Tyson and Ngannou is a match made in heaven. Both men are famed for having some of the scariest punching power in their respective sports. Tyson recorded an incredible 24 first round knockouts throughout his career! Meanwhile, his new student has the hardest recorded punch in history, reaching over 129,000 units on the Powerkube technology.

The decision for Tyson to train the former UFC heavyweight champion may come as a small blow for Fury and the Fury family. Almost three years ago, Fury was a guest on Mike Tyson's Hotboxin' podcast, and while on there, he revealed that he was named after the host.

In an emotional story, he stated: "I was eight weeks premature, I was dying. I wasn't supposed to live. And when I lived, my dad was like 'I'm going to call you after my favourite heavyweight Tyson'."

The change for Tyson may be a surprise for some, as he has been a big supporter of Fury ever since he has made his comeback to boxing in 2017. He has repeatedly claimed that 'The Gypsy King' is the greatest heavyweight fighter of his generation, and he even appeared in some promo footage for BT Sport after Fury dramatically rose off the canvas after what seemed a sure fire knockout in his first encounter with American Deontay Wilder.

Why is Mike Tyson training Francis Ngannou?

With many wondering what the reasons are behind his decision to train Ngannou, Tyson took to ESPN alongside his fighter to explain how it came about. Tyson thanked Ngannou and his team for the opportunity they presented to him, saying: "I'm just very appreciative with the fact that they allowed me to do this, and they have enough faith in me. He's had many professional fights, he's just never experienced a professional boxing match. Through working with him; he has the aptitude, and he has a good future in this fight. It's not going to be as one-sided as people think it is."

'The Baddest Man on the Planet' even suggested that Ngannou's goals in boxing may not just end with this Fury fight, as he implied that he can see Ngannou ruling the boxing landscape as the heavyweight champion of the world. If anyone knows a thing or two about that, it would be Tyson! He became the youngest ever heavyweight champion in boxing history at just 20 years old, knocking out Trevor Berbick all the way back in 1986.

Despite having confidence in his fighter, it is clear that Tyson is not taking it easy on Francis Ngannou. During the video he uploaded to YouTube, Tyson recanted a story of one of his first meetings with the MMA fighter as his new trainer. He asked him: "Are you sore today?" When Ngannou told his trainer he wasn't, Tyson ominously responded with: "That was a big mistake." Maybe tell a little lie next time Francis. We can't imagine what the punishment for that would've been!

It is not just the fighting styles where Ngannou and his trainer have similarities. Both men have spoken about the rise from poverty to the very top of their industries. Their struggles were a big part of what motivated them to push on in the sport and both have shown immense gratitude to their mentors that helped them throughout their journeys.

When is Francis Ngannou fighting Tyson Fury?

The anticipated crossover fight between the two heavyweight Goliaths is scheduled to take place on Saturday the 28th of October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It will be aired in the UK on TNT Sports Box Office. While it is not exactly known how much Ngannou is making, he revealed to Ariel Helwani that he is making a life changing amount of money. He went as far as to say that his purse for this fight alone will earn him more than his entire UFC career.

Ngannou left the UFC in early 2023 while reigning as their heavyweight champion. He had previously been campaigning for better fighter pay with the promotion, but when they couldn't agree a new contract, he was stripped of his title and missed out in what would've been one of the biggest fights of all time against Jon Jones.

In May 2023, it was announced that Ngannou had shockingly signed for up and coming MMA promotion PFL. As part of his deal, the Cameroonian would be free to explore fights in other combat sports out of the promotion, leading to this fight with Fury.

Many have suggested this fight is simply a money grabbing exercise, with Ngannou being the clear underdog due to his lack of professional boxing experience compared to season pro Fury. It remains to be seen if he can shock the entire world and be the first one to defeat the heavyweight champion of the world. With the power he possesses, anything is possible.