In Saudi Arabia, Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou got ready for a big boxing match. Francis Ngannou, who used to be a UFC heavyweight champ, is trying pro boxing for the first time. We asked experts about what Ngannou can do, how Fury has been training, and what’s coming up. Tyson Fury got on the scales to weigh in for his 10-round boxing match with Francis Ngannou, a mixed martial arts star.
Ngannou weighed 272.1 pounds, while Fury weighed 277.7 pounds. Ngannou looked really strong, and he’s known for his striking skills from his time in the UFC. But when he steps into the boxing ring with Tyson Fury on Saturday, it’s his first time as a pro boxer. Fury is a tall and skilled boxer, the WBC champion, though his title isn’t on the line. Most people think Fury is the best heavyweight boxer in the world, even though Oleksandr Usyk holds the WBO, WBA, and IBF belts and disagrees.
Fury wasn’t impressed with what he saw from Ngannou on the scales or in his past MMA career. Fury said, “I think he’s a big fat sausage, and I’ll knock him out. I’m going to make it quick for him. It’s like a table tennis champion playing Djokovic in the Wimbledon final. It’s completely different.”
Fury has the upper hand, but people from his training camp say he’s taking this fight very seriously. Solomon Dacres, one of Fury’s sparring partners for Ngannou, said that he’d been there for the last four weeks, sparring in Morecambe, then in Saudi Arabia. He’s been preparing as if it was a world title fight. He’s been sparring tough rounds with him Joe Parker, and Martin Bakole. He’s getting top-quality sparring and training hard, preparing for the best fighter who will be in the ring against him. This MMA guy is trying his luck. Fury is making sure he leaves no stone unturned in training. He doesn’t want to look foolish.”
Ngannou is a new face in boxing, which could be an advantage. Hardy said, “If he had faced another boxer before Tyson, his chances would be even slimmer. The element of surprise in this fight is one of his biggest assets. The unpredictability, his power and the surprise of not having sparred with anyone who moves like Francis Ngannou, all play in his favour. It won’t be easy for the first few rounds, especially if Ngannou is smart about his approach and keeps Tyson guessing about his moves. He said that when you have that kind of power, it can level the playing field.
Ngannou might have a future in boxing even after this fight. Top trainer Shane McGuigan said, “Top-level welterweights, from a technical perspective, are much better than top heavyweights. So, a UFC fighter coming into heavyweight might have a better chance of landing a shot than someone in welterweight because we’re much more highly trained in the lower weight classes.
The margins for success are greater at heavyweight. There’s always a chance for a knockout, but I don’t see the fight going past four or five rounds. Fury will land many punches, chip away, and eventually knock him out.”
What if @francis_ngannou defeats Tyson Fury? All logic tells me it won't happen. But Ngannous story defies logic. He beats the odds when they're stacked against him. I'm certainly not counting him out #boxing #mma #fight pic.twitter.com/A9meP3nDD5
— Ultimate Punching (@ultimatepunchin) October 21, 2023
Eric Nicksick speaks about Francis Ngannous upcoming fight against Tyson Fury #FrancisNgannou #TysonFury #FuryNgannou #NgannouFury pic.twitter.com/c3LSG4Fx1N
— JmagStatsMMA (@JmagStatsMMA) July 13, 2023
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