By Gabriel Princewill-
World heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion are scheduled to fight on Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The fight will take place in a regulation boxing ring under boxing rules, including three ringside judges using the 10-point must system, according to the announcement.
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Fury’s team say the fight is not an exhibition and will take place under the official rules of professional boxing, with three judges ringside adopting the 10-point must system.
However, all indications are that the fight will not alter the professional record of the gypsy king in any event if victory or defeat.
“I can’t wait to get back out there under the lights,” Fury said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to showing the world that The Gypsy King is the greatest fighter of his generation in an epic battle with another master of his craft.”
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“My dream was always to box, and to box the best,” Ngannou said in his statement. “After becoming the undisputed MMA Heavyweight Champion, this is my opportunity to make that dream come true and cement my position as the baddest man on the planet.”
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said on Tuesday that Fury received special permission to fight Ngannou as there is no official challenger. Sulaiman added that Fury tried to close fights against Andy Ruiz, Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk, but no agreements were reached.
Fury was originally meant to face Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, the IBF, IBO, WBO and WBA champion in a unification fight to determine the first undisputed champion in the heavyweight division, but negotiations fell through in March after the unbeaten heavyweight champion was accused of ducking the fight by insisting on nearly impossible terms for the talented Usyk.
Usyk, who has won world title fights at both the cruiserweight and heavyweight division, was offered a 70-30 split for the now aborted unification fight, but rejected the offer after Fury refused to agree to a rematch clause that would grant Usyk the larger share in the event of defeat.
The collapsed deal was widely deemed a poor reflection on Fury, with many boxing fans concluding he was ducking the fight in fear of losing to the agile and slippery Ukranian fighter.
Fury later turned his sight to Anthony Joshua- a twice victim of Usyk- who is still regrouping and scheduled to face Dillian Whyte in his next bout.
Ngannou’s last outing was in January 2022, when he retained his UFC heavyweight championship with a unanimous-decision victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270, after which the hard punching MA fighter parted ways with the MMA organization in January following a failed extension of his contract. He is a big puncher, but without any experience in professional boxing
Undisputed UFC Champion: Francis Ngonou Image: Ufc.Com
It will be a keep busy fight for Fury, who would be expected to win, but many of his critics see this fight as a retrogade step for a man who claims to be the best in the division, but is yet to unify the heavyweight division.
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