Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou prediction
By Josh Betar
Boxing is back at the forefront of the combat sports world on Saturday, Oct. 29, as fans are treated to a once-in-a-lifetime mega-fight. Former undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, "The Predator" Francis Ngannou makes his boxing debut as he steps into the squared circle against arguably the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, WBC and lineal heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury.
A truly historic clash will be taking place from Saudi Arabia, as this will be the first time a former UFC heavyweight champion will be facing a current heavyweight boxing world champion. Comparisons of this mega fight are somewhat similar to the Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor bout we saw in 2017 with the theme of boxing vs. MMA. However, with both Fury and Ngannou still in their athletic prime, at 35 and 37 years old respectively this adds another layer to the already mouth-watering clash.
A fight between Fury and Ngannou has long been teased and was considered more a dream fight than something that would ever become reality. That was until early July 2023 when dreams would come true with Fury and Ngannou signing on the dotted line to make this historic clash come to fruition.
Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou preview
A fight between Fury and Ngannou has been heavily talked about since the summer of 2021. While Ngannou had just defeated Stipe Miocic to become UFC heavyweight champion and Fury was in preparation for his trilogy bout with Deontay Wilder the pair began to have some back-and-forth talk online sparking interest in what a fight between the two would look like.
Speaking in an interview with TalkSPORT in July 2021, Fury was asked about the possibility of a future fight with Ngannou.
“In a stand-up fight, with small gloves on, I will fight him – no problem. In a cage or a ring, it doesn't matter; he can have four-ounce gloves or bare knuckle if he wants. He's a big puncher too though. He's a big, strong guy full of muscles and he is very accurate and a very big puncher. So it would definitely make for an interesting brawl, that is for sure"
Talks between Fury and Ngannou became somewhat of a realistic possibility after it was announced that Ngannou and the UFC had parted ways in January 2023. As the months went by for Ngannou, seemingly without an option or opponent insight, the same would happen for Fury. After many failed attempts to secure an undisputed heavyweight title-unifying fight with Oleksandr Usyk, the bout between Fury and Ngannou became a real option. In early July 2023, it was announced that Fury and Ngannou would be squaring off in a boxing ring, a fight that has been years in the making.
For Ngannou this will be the first time he’ll be in competition of any kind since Jan. 22, 2022. On that night Ngannou successfully defended his heavyweight title against interim champion, Cyril Gane in what would become Ngannou’s last fight under the UFC banner. After overcoming a severe knee injury that ruled him out for most of 2022, Ngannou will make his first foray into the world of boxing looking to do the unthinkable and slay the undefeated Fury.
For Fury, this will be the first time he’ll be in a boxing ring in nearly a year. His last outing saw him completely dismantle and pick apart a mainstay of the heavyweight division in Derek Chisora last December. However, this upcoming fight for Fury does have some extra intrigue surrounding it with Fury’s undisputed title fight with Oleksandr Usyk already being confirmed for December 2023 or January 2024. If Ngannou does somehow cause the upset and knock Fury out it could potentially put his fight with Usyk at risk.
Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou prediction
We all love an underdog story. Someone who is counted out, who has no chance, for Ngannou this has been the theme of his whole life and he has continued to prove people wrong. Unfortunately, as much as MMA fans like to believe that Ngannou can do the unthinkable, shock the world, and defeat Fury, ultimately he probably won't. This mountain is too steep to climb.
This is Fury's game and it has been for nearly a decade. However, Ngannou's best chance at securing a victory will be in the early rounds, hunting for his signature, devastating knockout. If Fury is able to avoid being touched by Ngannou which he has been able to do throughout his whole career thus far, this fight could be fairly one-sided in favor of Fury.
Fury will probably stick on the outside for the majority of the fight, and look to use his signature head movement, footwork, and overall skill to drag the fight out into the later rounds and tire out Ngannou. Once the fight reaches those later rounds, particularly rounds eight and nine, Fury will go for the finish, stopping an exhausted Ngannou in a dominant fashion.
Prediction: Tyson Fury via TKO
Tyson Fury brother, dad, wife, everything you need to know. dark. Next. Tyson Fury brother, dad, wife, everything you need to know