Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou - October 28, 2023

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Sources: Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou fight set for Oct. 28

Tyson Fury, boxing's lineal heavyweight champion, and Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, will fight Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, sources told ESPN.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman didn't respond to a text message asking whether Fury's WBC heavyweight title will be on the line. The rules and number of rounds for the contest were unclear at this time.

Fury and Ngannou teased a future meeting in April 2022, sharing the ring after Fury's sixth-round TKO victory over Dillian Whyte in London to retain his WBC heavyweight title.

"Big Francis Ngannou is here today," Fury said at the time. "He's on my hit list in an exhibition fight, however he wants it: in a cage, in a boxing ring, boxing gloves, UFC gloves, we can make it happen. I think everyone wants to see it. He's a monster of a guy, I'm a monster of a guy, so it will be a clash of the titans for sure."

The 34-year-old Englishman returned for a trilogy battle with Derek Chisora in December, a 10th-round stoppage win to retain the top spot in ESPN's heavyweight rankings.

Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) was in talks to meet Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship in April at London's Wembley Stadium, but negotiations collapsed in March.

Now, ESPN's No. 7 pound-for-pound boxer will meet one of the most recognizable names in combat sports in a star-studded event in the Middle East.

Ngannou (20-3-3 MMA record) last competed in January 2022, when he retained his UFC heavyweight championship with a unanimous-decision victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. That turned out to be Ngannou's final bout in the Octagon.

After he couldn't reach terms on a contract extension with the UFC, Ngannou parted ways with the MMA organization in January. Now, he's set to make his boxing debut, realizing a lifelong dream he set out to accomplish when he fled Cameroon for France at age 26.

Ngannou, 36, underwent surgery in March to repair his MCL and ACL. Two months later, he signed a deal with the PFL that allowed him to box as well.

"My next step has to be boxing," Ngannou told ESPN's Brett Okamoto in March. "I want to do one boxing match first, and then maybe go back to MMA because I still enjoy MMA. I want to do a couple of fights in boxing. We are working on some stuff, and hopefully in a month or two I will be able to come out with an announcement on potential fight dates and locations.

"It's taking a little longer than I expected, but it's coming along. Big things come with time."

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[joshj909]

This lasts as long as Tyson wants it to. Comically bad fight. This is Mayweather Vs McGregor all over again. Fury will be showboating the entire fight. If the Chisora Vs Fury fight wasn't entertaining for people then I don't see why they would watch this.

[joshj909]

[DrDuke]

This lasts as long as Tyson wants it to. Comically bad fight. This is Mayweather Vs McGregor all over again. Fury will be showboating the entire fight. If the Chisora Vs Fury fight wasn't entertaining for people then I don't see why they would watch this.

It's obvious, why the Chisora 3 bout was so uninteresting to the public, and it's also obvious, that the Ngannou fight will be completely opposite, nothing to compare here. You said it yourself, the Mayweather vs McGregor style, so why you don't understand the reaction of the public? People love freakshows.

[quickeyg]

Social media going F**KING CRAZY as I predicted.

[Cent0089]

Honestly, if Fury-Usyk not happening....why not looking forward to this

[Sammy Scaff]

Pretty much the only boxer/MMA clash I’d give a Donald about.
Yes from me.

[Ruthless-RKO]

What a joke!

No official challengers?

It’s their fückin job to find challengers!!

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[jaouad]

Freakshow exhibitions are one thing but a freakshow title fight seriously?

[tiny_acres]

I almost wish Fury would get knocked out but it would be a black mark on the sport

[afcpaul]

Have you noticed Christmas seems to start earlier every year!. Pantomime season.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I'm already anticipating the endless jawing we're going to have to listen to about this from Fury.

[goose 5]

If this isn't an exhibition and the undercard is a least mediocre, I'll buy it.

[oogiebe]

Add "I don't give a fk" and I'll vote.

[HomicideHenry]

I would like to know the individuals who picked Ngannou.

[SendoTakeshi]

If even boxing fans (on this site) are watching it, then casuals will be too.
Seems like it will be a huge success and people are still schocked to see this bs fight happen instead of the Usyk one.

I hope Ngannou knocks the ducks ass out.
Too bad the WBC title is not on the line, so we could have someone with balls fight Usyk for undisputed.
F*ck the mark it leaves on boxing, I just want this scared kitten to get humbled.

[DrDuke]

I would like to know the individuals who picked Ngannou.

Fury haters obviously.

[jamesmcdonnell]

In the highly unlikely event Ngannou won, presumably Fury would still be WBC champ?

[KiwiRider]

That's funny, because as soon as I found out who the opponent was, I thought it was an exhibition.
An exhibition I won't be watching.

[joshj909]

In the highly unlikely event Ngannou won, presumably Fury would still be WBC champ?

Ngannou would be the lineal champ which is the real champ... right? Fury would accept 25% Vs Usyk because he only holds one belt and no lineal champ involved... right?

Nothing about the fight makes sense. WBC are ok with it but won't sanction it as a defence? No.2 heavyweight in the world Vs a complete novice will be signed off by a commission.

[Ruthless-RKO]

In the highly unlikely event Ngannou won, presumably Fury would still be WBC champ?

Ngannou would be the lineal champ which is the real champ... right? Fury would accept 25% Vs Usyk because he only holds one belt and no lineal champ involved... right?

Nothing about the fight makes sense. WBC are ok with it but won't sanction it as a defence? No.2 heavyweight in the world Vs a complete novice will be signed off by a commission.

yeh, at least Mayweather was retired at the time and didn't hold any world titles.