Coach Lopez disputes narrative that Ngannou improved after leaving him

Fernand Lopez has strongly refuted the claim that Francis Ngannou became a better fighter after leaving his gym in France. Lopez points out that when Ngannou lost to Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis, he was already training in Las Vegas. Conversely, Ngannou returned to Lopez in Paris for his camps against Curtis Blaydes and Cain Velasquez, both of which ended in knockout victories. Lopez emphasizes that these comeback wins occurred when Ngannou trained exclusively with him in Paris. He also notes that he discovered Ngannou when the fighter was 28 years old with a 1-1 record, having just lost to Zoumana Cisse. Lopez argues that the narrative surrounding Ngannou's development unfairly ignores his crucial role in the fighter's success.