BoxRec

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."

How does Fury still think he can sell out Wembley..

I seen many casual fans go off him these last few months.

Will it be Ruiz? Will it be Zhang? Anyone else?

Joyce has already said that he will take an interim fight before rematching Zhang.

But if Zhang takes the fight, he’ll have to vacate the interim WBO belt, so Joyce doing a rematch after that is pointless.

Think they'll struggle with sales here, opponent depending obviously but definitely lost a lot of the fans he's gained after the Usyk debacle

Could not give give two fvcks

If it's true about this Saudie Tournament there is absolutely no way it'll be anyone decent, Zhang no chance, maybe Ruiz.

Ruiz or Zhang would be good

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 09:24 If it's true about this Saudie Tournament there is absolutely no way it'll be anyone decent, Zhang no chance, maybe Ruiz.

Zhang isn’t that good. Worse than Ruiz in loads of ways.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 10:05

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 09:24 If it's true about this Saudie Tournament there is absolutely no way it'll be anyone decent, Zhang no chance, maybe Ruiz.

Zhang isn’t that good. Worse than Ruiz in loads of ways.

Styles make fights, Zhang was all wrong for Joyce, but he would suit Fury

Coco wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 10:10

mickey1975 wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 10:05

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 09:24 If it's true about this Saudie Tournament there is absolutely no way it'll be anyone decent, Zhang no chance, maybe Ruiz.

Zhang isn’t that good. Worse than Ruiz in loads of ways.

Styles make fights, Zhang was all wrong for Joyce, but he would suit Fury

I agree. Weird matchmaking. Negated all of Joe's strengths.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 10:14

Coco wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 10:10

mickey1975 wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 10:05
Zhang isn’t that good. Worse than Ruiz in loads of ways.

Styles make fights, Zhang was all wrong for Joyce, but he would suit Fury

I agree. Weird matchmaking. Negated all of Joe's strengths.

He’s a bit of a Valuev it seems. The counter-punching formula is probably the way. The juggernaut approach is not the way it seems! Joe would be a sizeable underdog next time - that face seems prone to busting up long before his chin.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 10:05

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 09:24 If it's true about this Saudie Tournament there is absolutely no way it'll be anyone decent, Zhang no chance, maybe Ruiz.

Zhang isn’t that good. Worse than Ruiz in loads of ways.

Doesn't need to be, has sound fundamentals, and is a big hard puncher who can throw combinations. Doesn't need a lot more than that in the current division.

Usyk, Zhang, Ruiz or AJ. Anyone else I’m not bothered.

If it isn't Usyk or AJ then they're going to need a much smaller venue...

Ruiz or Zhang would be great. AJ or Usyk even better.

Not sure there is anyone else he hasn't already beaten.

chinarich wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 11:53 If it isn't Usyk or AJ then they're going to need a much smaller venue...

Dunno the travellers are pretty loyal to him.

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 12:46

chinarich wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 11:53 If it isn't Usyk or AJ then they're going to need a much smaller venue...

Dunno the travellers are pretty loyal to him.

Hmm, maybe. I don't pay too much attention to these things and I could be wrong but I have the impression that Fury doesn't appeal to the casuals in the same way as Joshua and that makes selling out Wembley difficult unless the opponent is absolutely top drawer.

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 12:46

chinarich wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 11:53 If it isn't Usyk or AJ then they're going to need a much smaller venue...

Dunno the travellers are pretty loyal to him.

Despite Micky telling us this every opportunity - it's yet to be put to the test.

Fury lost lots of his fan base after the Usyk duck.
He has sensibly been kept away from social media, so it will be interesting if/when he fights again because he only seems to have one way of promoting a fight which is being offensive and crude .. and that seems out of flavour with the fans based on his Usyk rants.

*I hope we never see or hear about him ever again. He has not been good for boxing at all.

Coco wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 10:10

mickey1975 wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 10:05

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 09:24 If it's true about this Saudie Tournament there is absolutely no way it'll be anyone decent, Zhang no chance, maybe Ruiz.

Zhang isn’t that good. Worse than Ruiz in loads of ways.

Styles make fights, Zhang was all wrong for Joyce, but he would suit Fury

According to punchstats, Joyce landed more. If not for his eye situation the fight was pretty close. Would have been interesting to see it go more rounds.
Punch Stats
PUNCHES JOYCE ZHANG
Total landed 85 82
Total thrown 464 180
Percent 18% 46%
Jabs landed 25 4
Jabs thrown 211 40
Percent 12% 10%
Power landed 60 78
Power thrown 253 140
Percent 24% 56%
-- Courtesy of CompuBox

oogiebe wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 13:07

Coco wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 10:10

mickey1975 wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 10:05
Zhang isn’t that good. Worse than Ruiz in loads of ways.

Styles make fights, Zhang was all wrong for Joyce, but he would suit Fury

According to punchstats, Joyce landed more. If not for his eye situation the fight was pretty close. Would have been interesting to see it go more rounds.
Punch Stats
PUNCHES JOYCE ZHANG
Total landed 85 82
Total thrown 464 180
Percent 18% 46%
Jabs landed 25 4
Jabs thrown 211 40
Percent 12% 10%
Power landed 60 78
Power thrown 253 140
Percent 24% 56%
-- Courtesy of CompuBox

Zhang was far more accurate (over 50% of power punches landed) and far more aggressive. Punches landed never tell the full story, I think if they fight again and Joyce doesn't make serious adjustments then we will get the same result.

tonyevs wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 13:01

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 12:46

chinarich wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 11:53 If it isn't Usyk or AJ then they're going to need a much smaller venue...

Dunno the travellers are pretty loyal to him.

Despite Micky telling us this every opportunity - it's yet to be put to the test.

Fury lost lots of his fan base after the Usyk duck.
He has sensibly been kept away from social media, so it will be interesting if/when he fights again because he only seems to have one way of promoting a fight which is being offensive and crude .. and that seems out of flavour with the fans based on his Usyk rants.

*I hope we never see or hear about him ever again. He has not been good for boxing at all.

Tony, we mostly hear from him on here because of you.

Fury sold out Wembley for Whyte, did more than Froch.

As long as the opponent isn't Chisora, I'm sure he can do the same again.

Saying that Fury likes going into his opponents back yard, be amazing if he beat Zhang in China.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 13:24

tonyevs wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 13:01

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 12:46

Dunno the travellers are pretty loyal to him.

Despite Micky telling us this every opportunity - it's yet to be put to the test.

Fury lost lots of his fan base after the Usyk duck.
He has sensibly been kept away from social media, so it will be interesting if/when he fights again because he only seems to have one way of promoting a fight which is being offensive and crude .. and that seems out of flavour with the fans based on his Usyk rants.

*I hope we never see or hear about him ever again. He has not been good for boxing at all.

Tony, we mostly hear from him on here because of you.

fair play Mick. You make up things effortlessly

And Fury likes going into his opponents back yard? He just ducked Usyk ...

What are you on about? You constantly post about Tyson and then claim you don't want to hear about him! Tyson has fought in his opponents home countries a few times. What has Usyk got to do with this? They were never scheduled to box in Ukraine, or anywhere else for that matter.

Coco wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 13:40 Fury sold out Wembley for Whyte, did more than Froch.

As long as the opponent isn't Chisora, I'm sure he can do the same again.

Saying that Fury likes going into his opponents back yard, be amazing if he beat Zhang in China.

The part of me that loves Rocky IV desperately wants to see an over the top and dramatic build up to an all time classic fight for Fury/Joshua/Usyk/Wilder Vs Zhang in China.

joshj909 wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 15:23

Coco wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023, 13:40 Fury sold out Wembley for Whyte, did more than Froch.

As long as the opponent isn't Chisora, I'm sure he can do the same again.

Saying that Fury likes going into his opponents back yard, be amazing if he beat Zhang in China.

The part of me that loves Rocky IV desperately wants to see an over the top and dramatic build up to an all time classic fight for Fury/Joshua/Usyk/Wilder Vs Zhang in China.

Why not - in Beijing, on Christmas day!

He could become the UK version of Dennis Rodman!