In a thrilling and controversial encounter on Saturday night, WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury managed to maintain his undefeated professional record. He survived a knockdown to beat former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou by a split decision over ten rounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ngannou's Impressive Boxing Debut
Making his boxing debut at the age of 37, Ngannou outboxed Fury, 35, for much of their fight. The Cameroonian-French fighter shocked the British champion with a knockdown in Round 3. Despite this setback, Fury rallied to secure a narrow victory with margins of 94-95, 96-93, and 95-94.
"He's a hell of a fighter and a hell of a lot better boxer than we thought he would be. He's an awkward man and a good puncher, and I respect him a lot," Fury admitted after the fight. "He was very awkward. He wasn't coming forward and was waiting for me to throw. He's given me one of my toughest fights of the last ten years."
Controversy Surrounds Fury's Victory
Many boxing experts labeled Ngannou as an underdog for the event, but his disciplined and aggressive performance led many to believe that "The Predator" was wrongfully denied the win. Meanwhile, reports from the boxing website Bad Left Hook suggested that Fury was not in peak physical condition, with his stamina notably lacking in the early rounds.
Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn echoed this sentiment, maintaining that Ngannou won "by two rounds" and that "Tyson Fury looked like he's never laced a pair of gloves before." On Matchroom Boxing's YouTube channel, Hearn called for "The Gypsy King" to offer his opponent a rematch or face Britain's two-time world champion Anthony Joshua.
"AJ will knock Tyson Fury out within six rounds. Make the fight; otherwise, we'll never get it," Hearn asserted.
Stats: Fury Emerges Victorious
While Ngannou landed more power punches, the latest stats revealed that Fury landed more total punches in the contest. According to Compubox, Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) landed 71 of 223 punches, while Ngannou (0-1) landed 59 of 231. Fury was also the more active fighter in six of ten rounds, with Ngannou edging three and one round tied.
In the final two rounds, Ngannou landed only six punches, while Fury landed 13, which likely swayed the judges' decision. However, Ngannou did land more power punches throughout the fight, 37 to 32.
Upcoming Match: Fury vs. Usyk
After the bout, Oleksandr Usyk entered the ring and confronted Fury, his next scheduled opponent. Both fighters are unbeaten and hold unified heavyweight titles. The rumored date for their clash in Riyadh on December 23 remains uncertain as Fury and his promoter, Frank Warren, were non-committal after Fury's fight with Ngannou. There is a chance Fury may have to postpone the title unification against the Ukrainian due to his injuries.
"I don't think the date will be announced just yet. This fight is on. Both fighters want it. Tyson's got a cut there. We'll see how it heals," said Warren. The Queensberry promoter explained that Fury cannot go into a camp after such a tough fight, as he needs "at least a bit of time to get himself, his body, back into shape." He predicted the Briton to return to camp early next year.
Usyk, however, insisted that the fight with Fury take place on the agreed date of December 23. Negotiations for the fight have lasted nearly a year, and Usyk argued that Fury should vacate his title if he could not fight on the agreed date.