Francis Ngannou
Ngannou has one of the most iconic stories in sports history. The Cameroonian MMA fighter worked in sand mines when he was young. But he wanted more from his life and decided to travel to France to become a boxer. He crossed the African continent and went to Morocco where he faced police brutality.
The future UFC champion risked his life as he crossed deserts and waterways. When he arrived in Europe he sheltered in car parks before Fernand Lopez welcomed him to his gym. Then he evolved into the most frightening heavyweight on the planet as he rose from the depths of Hell (via The Mirror).