Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou reportedly set for boxing fight Oct. 28
Francis Ngannou appears to have gotten what he wanted most of all.
The former UFC heavyweight champion is reportedly expected to meet undefeated boxing champion Tyson Fury in a boxing match on Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, according to an ESPN report. It is not yet known if this fight will be an exhibition or not.
Ngannou confirmed the fight on Twitter.
Never doubt a man with hope and faith.#FuryNgannou | 10.28.2023 | #RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/44pfCQgGgq
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) July 11, 2023
Ngannou has long coveted a crossover fight against one of boxing’s biggest heavyweight stars, and Fury has always been his preferred choice of opponent. “The Predator” and Fury have bantered back and forth over a potential superfight for years, with Ngannou even making a surprise appearance in the ring alongside Fury in April 2022 following Fury’s win over Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium. This past January, Fury called out Ngannou for a special rules bout in a cage against Ngannou with four-ounce gloves under boxing rules.
Ngannou’s desire to box was one of the tipping points that led to his historic departure from the UFC while holding the promotion’s heavyweight title, as UFC officials were not supportive of allowing him to chase a payday in boxing while under contract. Following Ngannou’s free agent signing with PFL, UFC president Dana White campaigned vehemently for a matchup between new UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Fury, however the opportunity to face “The Gypsy King” ultimately found its way to Ngannou.
Ngannou (17-3 MMA) is generally regarded as one of the hardest punchers in MMA history. He captured the UFC heavyweight title in March 2021 with a brutal knockout of Stipe Miocic then defended his title once, taking a decision over Ciryl Gane despite fighting on a torn ACL. Eleven of Ngannou’s 12 UFC victories ended in stoppages, including highlight-reel knockouts of Alistair Overeem, Cain Velasquez, Curtis Blaydes (x2), and Junior dos Santos.
Fury (33-0-1) is the No. 1 ranked heavyweight in boxing and the WBC heavyweight champion. He holds notable wins over Deontay Wilder (x2), Wladimir Klitschko, Whyte, Derek Chisora (x3), and more.