In a significant announcement on Tuesday, promoters revealed that boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will face off on October 28 in Saudi Arabia. This crossover match between a mixed martial artist and a professional boxer will be held in a regulation boxing ring, with three ringside judges utilizing the 10-point scoring system.
While the fight announcement by promoter Top Rank did not specify whether the bout would be recorded in the fighters’ professional boxing records or if Fury’s WBC heavyweight title would be at stake, the anticipation surrounding the clash remains high.
Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou confirmed
Fury and Ngannou have been discussing the possibility of this meeting for over a year, particularly following Francis’s contentious departure from the UFC.
Promotional companies Queensberry, Top Rank, and Ngannou’s promotional banner, GIMIK Fight Promotions, have partnered with Riyadh Season, Saudi Arabia’s state-sponsored entertainment and sports festival, to host this eagerly awaited fight in Riyadh.
The Baddest Man On The Planet đ
What will be done in the kingdom will echo around the world đĽ đ¸đŚ @francis_ngannou #GameChanger #RiyadhSeason #FuryNgnannou pic.twitter.com/z6Ruk40YsZ
— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) July 11, 2023
While Saudi Arabia has previously hosted boxing matches, this event is considered one of the biggest, coinciding with the country’s efforts to enhance its public image through sporting investments.
The country’s Public Investment Fund was a central topic of discussion in a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing related to its proposed deal with the PGA Tour. Additionally, Saudi Arabia has engaged with the men’s and women’s tennis tours, made investments in soccer with its ownership of Newcastle United in the English Premier League, and ventured into Formula One racing.
Why Tyson Fury took so long to fight Francis Ngannou
Tyson, who first became the unified world heavyweight champion in November 2015 by defeating Wladimir Klitschko, regained the WBC heavyweight title in 2020 after a period of inactivity. The 34-year-old Englishman has solidified his position as the world’s top heavyweight since then, establishing himself as a prominent figure in the division.
After a long wait, 36-year-old Francis expressed his eagerness to fight Tyson, a desire he has held for three years.
Following the expiration of his promotional contract with the UFC last year, Ngannou made the significant decision not to re-sign with the dominant MMA promotion. This made him the first active champion in nearly two decades to walk away from the UFC.
In May, Ngannou signed a deal to compete in the Professional Fighters League (PFL), an MMA promotion.
In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the frequency of boxers and mixed martial artists crossing over to compete in the boxing ring. This trend gained considerable attention following Floyd Mayweather Jr’s immensely lucrative victory over Conor McGregor in 2017.
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