WBC heavyweight boxing champion, Tyson Fury has admitted his surprise at the skills of UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, after he beat him by a controversial split decision on Sunday morning, October 29.
“He’s given me one of my toughest fights in the last 10 years’ “That definitely wasn’t in the script.” Fury said.
“He’s one hell of a fighter. He’s strong, a big puncher, and a lot better as a boxer than we thought he would ever be.”
Tyson Fury survived a third-round knockdown and avoided a massive upset with a split-decision victory over former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a ten-round heavyweight main event at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
When asked if anything surprised him about Ngannou’s approach, Fury replied;
“He’s a very awkward man, and he’s a good puncher. I respect him a lot, before the fight and afterward.
“He wasn’t coming forward. He was just standing back waiting for me to land my punches and then trying to counter. He’s a good fighter. He’s given me probably one of my toughest fights in the last 10 years.”
Fury may have won Ngannou — who made his professional boxing debut — but the Cameroonian ended up being the real winner by shocking the world with his performance.
Ngannou knocked Fury to the floor and came as close as anyone has come to beating Fury. Two judges scored it in favor of Fury with scores of 96-93 and 95-94 while a third judge had it for Ngannou with a 95-94 score.
Fortunately for Fury, he escaped with the win, and his undisputed heavyweight championship fight with Oleksandr Usyk is still going to happen although the proposed date for December 23 may be doubtful as neither Fury nor his promoter Frank Warren would confirm the date due to the injury sustained by Fury on his face. #Robbed and #Racism has been trending on Twitter after the fight, with some boxing fans alleging Ngannou was robbed.
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“I got the win and that’s what it is.”
Live Now:@DaznLiveBoxing
Tyson Fury on winning a split decision against Francis Ngannou #BattleOfTheBaddest | #FuryNgannoupic.twitter.com/A6saF7CHYR
— DaznLiveBoxing (@DaznLiveBoxing) October 28, 2023
BOXING IS RIGGED! Most corrupt sport.
Tyson Fury defeats Tyson Ngannou #furyvsngannou pic.twitter.com/RYbq7F5TrT
— Nina-Marie Daniele (@ninamdrama) October 28, 2023
FRANCIS NGANNOU GOT ROBBED!!! TYSON FURY LOST. ROBBERY, RIGGED.#BattleOfTheBaddest#furyvsngannou pic.twitter.com/CqWOTmU6Nf
— Barn House Sportz (@BarnHouseSportz) October 28, 2023
Tyson Fury hits Ngannou with a CLEAN elbow pic.twitter.com/Mt3xnkKEqY
— IFN (@IfnBoxing) October 28, 2023
“Tonight was a feel of the water and I know the temperature of the water.”
Francis Ngannou is not done with boxing! #BattleOfTheBaddest | #FuryNgannou #Boxing pic.twitter.com/QNF36t3eUu
— Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou Live Streams@𝚁eddiT (@davisvsgarciahd) October 28, 2023
No where in that fight did Fury had Francis like that, tells you more about the robbery.
Tyson Fury Vs Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia#TysonNgannou #furyvsngannou #BattleOfTheBaddest #Boxing#FuryNgannou #RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/eSgo1mwhKs
— Suleiman (@SuleimanSabo12) October 28, 2023