Mike Tyson’s former rival Julius Francis didn’t fare well when making a switch to MMA.
Francis had a stellar boxing career as a British heavyweight and at the pinnacle of his time in the professional ranks, faced heavyweight legend Tyson in 2000.
Francis took a crushing knee on his debut in MMA[/caption]
Unfortunately for the Peckham slugger, he met a cruel demise in his huge step-up being dropped five times en route to a savage second round stoppage defeat.
It was Tyson’s first appearance on UK shores and after clinching the British title just before, it still was the pinnacle of Francis’ career as he earned a record £350,000 payday.
Unfortunately, Francis’ career took a sharp downturn after wins over Mike Holden and Steffan Nielsen with the latter coming in September 2002.
He lost ten fights in a row including against Audley Harrison before retiring in a points defeat against Scott Lansdowne in May 2006.
But despite retiring from boxing there and then, his combat sports career wasn’t over despite having declined physically.
Francis decided to try his hand at MMA, having had prior experience in kickboxing during his youth.
He took on Gary Turner in surprise crossover fight, on a Cage Rage event far from his prime in 2007.
The Briton claimed he would find the move across comfortable, but it turned out to be the polar opposite when fight night arrived.
Turner was a familiar face, having fought Francis’ former conqueror Matt Skelton in a K-1 kickboxing tournament in 2001.
And it was to be Francis whom he conquered next as the pair did battle in a fiery and sharp affair.
He eventually tapped out after dropping to the canvas, and it was the final time he fought[/caption]
In the second period, a bizarre scene unfolded as the pair clinched and moved towards the fence of the cage.
As Turner had Francis where he wanted him, he unloaded a crushing knee to the body of his rival while in the clinch.
Although not visible, Francis began to sink in stature and slowly fell towards the ground body first.
Turner knew to seize the initiative and close the show, and as he unloaded some slow single shots, time was ticking.
Francis who was out of energy and winded by the thunderous knee, decided to tap out which was signalled to the referee.
The fight stopped, with the official TKO decision put down to submission via punches.
It wasn’t a good day at the office for the former Lonsdale belt holder, who unfortunately fell short on his MMA debut.
He never fought in the cage or squared circle again but has shot to notoriety in recent years.
In 2023, Francis shot back into the spotlight after knocking out a rowdy punter at BOXPARK where he worked as a security guard, a moment which was caught on camera.
The clip went viral and the public realised his identity as a boxer, and his profile shot to new heights.
As a result, Francis faced numerous offers to return to the ring, but has revealed he values his health and integrity so turned them down.
He told talkSPORT.com: “Yeah I had all of that [comeback offers].
“There was all of this to have a fight again with Mike Tyson. All of this like ‘get you a rematch with him’ and stuff like that.
“Yes it would be nice, the money-side of it. But I say for me personally, the integrity and being able to live with yourself.
“This is one of the things I have never done any of this things, like I’m a Celebrity etc.
“At the end of the day you have to sell your soul, and I don’t think it is really for me.”