Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou – Who wins and why?
WBC World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and UFC World heavyweight titlist Francis Ngannou will collide in a 10-round boxing contest on Saturday, October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in an epic showdown between two giants of their fields, which will mark the opening of this year’s Riyadh Season.
The fight will take place under the official rules of professional boxing, with the three ringside judges using the 10-point must system.
This epic event involving two heavyweight titans is promoted by Queensberry, Top Rank and GIMIK Fight Promotions, but who wins this crossover clash? BBN asked their boxing experts for their inside views:
Roy Jones Jr. Four-weight world champion
“You have to love Fury versus Ngannou. Everybody else is doing it, why can't he? It's an interesting fight.
“If Ngannou hits you it could be fatal. He can punch and if he catches you right he can be a problem. He hasn't had any pro boxing experience, but he does have fighting experience and he knows how to punch – so fighting experience, he knows how to punch, and Dewey Cooper and Mike Tyson are training him – they are going to put him in position to land that one shot he needs. And in boxing, guess what, it only takes one.
“Mike Tyson will try to turn Francis Ngannou into a wrecking machine, that's what he needs to be and why he probably brought Tyson in, you can't stand outside and box Tyson Fury, he's going to kill you, so you got to go in there and try and wreck him and if you don't you're going to lose. In a 12 round boxing match, there's no way you can beat Fury. He knows too much and that's what he does, so you have got to turn into a Mike Tyson style wrecking ball.”
Mike Tyson Former undisputed heavyweight world champion
“We’re going to shock the world. If he [Ngannou] hits him, it will be a knockout.”
Frank WarrenHall of Fame promoter
“I just believe we shouldn’t underestimate Francis Ngannou – and seeing him in person has only reinforced this view. He will come to fight and I shouldn’t imagine for a minute that he will be an easy knockover job.
“He is robust, battle-hardened and powerful. And, according to our man Joe Joyce, he is not a bad boxer. However, in no way do I expect him to try and outbox Tyson.
“Francis will come with the express aim of landing the heavy artillery and, should it get over-physical in there, we need a strong referee on the night.
“Can he bully and intimidate Tyson? That is the question and many millions of eyes will be trained on Riyadh on October 28 to find out.”
Jorge Capetillo Trainer and cut-man
“That’s a big fight, a huge fight and is very entertaining. Just like Tyson was saying, he was tipping his hat off to Francis Ngannou because he conquered the UFC heavyweight crown and is a hard punching guy. He’s not taking it lightly and like he was saying, ‘If I lose to an MMA guy, everybody is going to be laughing at me,’ and it’s true. For me, he is the best heavyweight in the world and should be number one Pound for Pound with what he done against Wilder in his comeback. On his resume, he’s defeated Wladimir Klitschko, he has a big resume Tyson Fury. It’s a good fight and fans like to see fights like that – the best fighting the best. We can’t sleep on Francis Ngannou, he has a lot of power. He’s not got the range or the distance, it’s a different timing and distance in boxing compared to MMA but at the same time it is the heavyweight division and we are a punch away from chaos. This is why Tyson is not taking the fight lightly, he is training hard in camp and will put on a big show.
“Of course Tyson wins – 100%. This is how I see it: it is the first time Francis is going to be fighting at a different pace. You are always jabbing, slipping, keeping in range and counterpunching so it is a different stamina and conditioning to MMA. In MMA, you can have a kick, go to the ground and stuff like that. For Tyson the first five rounds I think he will box him, work him down and when he sees Francis starts slowing down then he’s going to start punching more. Francis Ngannou has huge power but I think is too slow for Tyson Fury. I think with all due respect to Francis, the fight might go to the later rounds and that will be it. A late KO, he will stop him 100%. Everybody punches hard in the heavyweight division – he already knocked out Wilder who is a heavy puncher as well so he can take that punch but I don’t see Francis passing the 10 (rounds).”
Michael Bisping Retired UFC champion
“It's fantastic for him [Ngannou]. It's a massive, massive payday and he has nothing to lose. He's going up against one of the greatest boxers of our generation. I'm very interested and intrigued to see Francis Ngannou fight. I think the general consensus is Tyson's going to beat him, but you never know. Francis has got that ridiculous power and that's what makes it interesting. And that's why I'll pay to see it. They're all going to make a ton of money out of it, so well done for him. I hope he catches Fury, I shouldn't say that as an Englishman, but Ngannou is a mixed martial artist so I'm kind of on his side. And we all like a shocking upset, so I wish him all the best.
“Buster Douglas was one of the biggest upsets ever when he knocked out Mike Tyson and so was Hasim Rahman when he knocked out Lennox Lewis. But I think a non-boxer who has never had a professional boxing fight knocking out the Gypsy King, an undefeated heavyweight who has all the belts, would be the biggest upset of all time.
“He's 100 percent got a puncher's chance, and you never know, if Tyson Fury takes him lightly he might pay the ultimate price, Francis has got phenomenal power. Francis Ngannou has the ability to murder you in the boxing ring, so there's a real risk there. If it goes to the later rounds Francis is going to get tired because it's not his sport, but in those first three rounds he's going to be ridiculously dangerous. Tyson moves so well, he's taller, he's fought better people, but Francis can knock out Tyson Fury, that's a fact. He has the power to knock him out and if he could bully him into the corner and let loose with a ferocious combination, you never know.”
Jake Paul YouTuber & pro boxer
“I’m just excited for Francis to be getting his opportunity and to be showing other fighters, particularly from the UFC, that they can break out of there and make their own lane. He’s finally getting the pay he deserves but it’s definitely going to be a tough challenge.
“I’ve fought all of these MMA fighters and none of them have been able to do anything against me. Tyson is going to bring the smoke but Francis has that one-punch knockout power so we’ll see if he can land on Tyson. It’s going to be a good fight and I’m excited for it.”
Stipe Miocic Former UFC heavyweight champion
“It'd be a good fight, I mean, on paper no [Ngannou doesn't win]. Ngannou is in Tyson Fury's world, but it's a fight, anything can happen; he hits hard, he does well.”
Tim RicksonBBN Editor
“I have never been a fan of MMA, so I am pretty clueless as to who's who in that sport. Of course, I've heard of Francis Ngannou and have since looked him up to know all about him now, like how hard he hits and how he started his combat career with full intentions of becoming a professional boxer, but was steered towards MMA when training in France.
“Boxing and MMA are very different and, despite being a boxer at heart, I think Ngannou will struggle with the different timings and range, and even the fitness and pace of boxing rounds.
“I expect Tyson to feel him out to begin with, establish his jab and range, keeping him at bay until he can begin to load up more, add variety to his attacks to eventually wear him down and take him out after the mid rounds onwards.
“I know everyone says Ngannou has a punchers chance, and I believe he will have now that he has Mike Tyson in his corner, who is going to be instructing him on how to land that punch. Wilder was able to land on Fury a number of times during their fights, so this is definitely a possibilty, but I do think that is his only chance, and every other advantage of skill, speed, strength, size, intelligence, ring IQ, experience… all lies with Tyson, so it's his fight to win or lose.
“Tyson to win by knockout after round five.”
Ben WinwardBBN writer
“I don't share quite the same outrage as many regarding this event. I can see why it has taken place and, from Fury's perspective, without any mandatory's being imposed by the WBC it's really a no-brainer. The frustration obviously comes from wanting to see the Usyk fight, which was promised previously and mooted for April this year, which was also given as the excuse for the 'tune up' fight that absolutely nobody wanted to see with Derek Chisora last December. Yet here we are, almost 10 months later, instead being served up an exhibition with an MMA fighter that even the current shell of Derek Chisora would likely knock out.
“It will still be a huge event, however the conclusion itself is fairly predictable. I see Fury going in there and having fun in the early rounds, flicking the jab out and employing an irksome amount of showboating, keeping the spectacle going for longer than it needs to. Around the midway point, hopefully Fury will feel the time is right to end proceedings and start to sit down on his shots. This will see him land flush sooner or later and, for me, result in the fight ending via knockout between rounds five and eight.”
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