Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou: Date, time, how to watch, background
Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is scheduled to face MMA star and boxing newbie Francis Ngannou on pay-per-view Saturday in Saudi Arabia.
TYSON FURY (30-0-1, 24 KOs)
VS. FRANCIS NGANNOU (0-0, 0 KOs)
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 28
- Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
- Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
- Division: Heavyweight (no limit)
- At stake: No major title
- Odds: Fury 11-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
- Pound-for-pound: Fury No. 5
- Also on the card: Fabio Wardley vs. David Adeleye, heavyweights; Joseph Parker vs. Simon Kean, heavyweights; Carlos Takam vs Martin Bakole, heavyweights; Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. Junior Anthony Wright, heavyweights
- Prediction: Fury KO 6
- Background: Fury is already committed to face fellow titleholder Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship this winter but must deal with Ngannou first. The 37-year-old MMA star is making his boxing debut against the most accomplished big man in the world, meaning this matchup is nothing more than a glorified sparring session for Fury that will earn both men a lot of money. Fury last fought in December, when he stopped Derek Chisora in 10 rounds. The 35-year-old from Manchester, England, will have been out of the ring for almost 11 months. Ngannou last fought in UFC 270 in January of last year, 21 months ago. The native of Cameroon outpointed Ciryl Gane in that bout. Ngannou lives and trains in Las Vegas.