By Vince D’Writer: What some thought would be a sideshow actually turned out to be a very entertaining boxing match, as WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury defeated former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou on Saturday, October 28th, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The end result was the one everyone expected, but the way it occurred caught a lot of boxing fans totally off guard. Many assumed The Gypsy King Tyson Fury would dominate and win by knockout or unanimous decision, but Fury escaped with a narrow split-decision victory.
Three months ago, the crossover boxing match between the undefeated WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and the first-time boxer Francis Ngannou was officially announced. Odds makers gave the hard-hitting combat sports superstar a puncher’s chance as he was listed as a 14-1 underdog.
Normally, when an MMA fighter who is at the top of the food chain crossover into the boxing world, it usually equates to high risk, high reward. It’s a high probability in regards to the MMA fighter getting embarrassed inside the squared circle, but it’s a high reward due to the fact that they make more money in the boxing ring as opposed to the octagon.
The biggest challenge MMA fighters have when they crossover and enter the boxing ring is setting up their shots. For example, in an MMA match, the fighters have the luxury of using a kick to close the distance and be in a position to land punches, but in boxing, you have to use your footwork to achieve that task.
Shortly after signing the contract to face the WBC boxing champion, Francis Ngannou announced in a press release that Mike Tyson was training him for the fight. The boxing Hall of Famer Mike Tyson admitted he was impressed with Ngannou’s boxing skills.
On fight night, Francis Ngannou looked fundamentally sharp. Instead of making the mistake of reaching as most MMA fighters do, Ngannou went the technical route and used his footwork to get inside.
In the 3rd round, Francis Ngannou shocked the world when he landed a left hand that sent Tyson Fury down to the canvas. However, the WBC champion was able to survive the round, use his jab, land the right hand, and earn a narrow split decision victory.
Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) won the fight, but Francis Ngannou, in his boxing debut, won the poll of public opinion. Many fans on social media voiced their thoughts in regard to their belief that Ngannou won the fight. In addition to being the People’s Champ, Ngannou also created more opportunities for himself.
Ngannou’s impressive performance against Tyson Fury has created a demand for him to compete inside the squared circle once again. If Ngannou decides to step back inside the boxing ring, wouldn’t it be interesting if he faced a former WBC world champion?
Deontay Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) is a knockout artist who won the WBC heavyweight title back in January 2015. He held the title for five years and had ten successful title defenses until he lost to Tyson Fury in February 2020.
Wilder suffered a 7th-round TKO loss in the rematch, and a year later, he suffered defeat again in the trilogy bout as he was knocked out in the 11th round. In three fights against Tyson Fury, Wilder has a split draw and two losses, but in those fights, he was able to produce multiple knockdowns.
Deontay Wilder is a former champion who isn’t known for his boxing skills. He was a champion and continues to be a threat to the majority of the heavyweights in the division due to his devastating right hand. With Wilder’s limitations in regards to being a pure boxer, it creates interest when it comes to a potential matchup between him and Ngannou.
A Deontay Wilder vs Francis Ngannou boxing match is very intriguing because Wilder is currently the hardest-hitting boxer in the sport, and Francis Ngannou is the hardest-hitting fighter in combat sports. If these two competitors faced each other, it would be the definition of the phrase, ‘Must see TV.’
