Francis Ngannou talks through Tyson Fury knockdown, which shocked the world
Former UFC superstar and now top-10 ranked heavyweight boxer, Francis Ngannou, shocked the world on his professional debut when he knocked down Tyson Fury before losing a controversial split-decision that cost him what would have been the upset of the century.
Now, the Cameroonian has recalled what he was thinking when he realised that he had just dropped ‘The Gypsy King’.
The contest was opposed by the vast majority of the boxing universe, with the heavyweight champion expected to walk over debuting Ngannou with ease, as many fans perceived such an unworthy opponent as an insult to the sport. However in the third-round, time stood still and big wigs at ringside gazed with their mouths forced open by awe and surprise, upon a truly magical image where Fury was laid-out on the canvas by Ngannou, who towered over the vulnerable champion.
Although the upset was not completed by Ngannou, he was the protagonist in a generational moment that will never be forgotten.
Yet, in an interview on the ‘High Performance’ podcast, Ngannou revealed that the realisation of what he had done did not hit home until after the clash.
“Nothing. I was in that fight and I was thinking about him, I was thinking about what will happen next, I wasn’t thinking about my story in the ring. You’re there, you’re fighting, and you’re like ‘OK. He’s going to come back up,’. I knew that Tyson’s the guy who always comes back from knockdowns, the guy came back from a knockout [against Deontay Wilder], so the knockdown was not going to be an issue for him.
He was cool, but throughout the fight I wasn’t thinking about anything except that fight at that moment. Afterwards, or now, we can reflect on that, but at that moment there is nothing that you think about.”
Ngannou will attempt to go one better and pick up his first professional win, when he fights Anthony Joshua on March 8th.