In a closely contested 10-round non-title bout held in Saudi Arabia, Tyson Fury narrowly escaped with a contentious split-decision victory over Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, in a highly anticipated crossover event.
Despite hitting the canvas in the third round, Fury secured the result with scores of 96-93 and 95-94 on two of the judges’ cards, while the third judge saw it as 95-94 in favor of Ngannou.
Watching from ringside I thought Ngannou won the fight. It was close but he was the aggressor, landed heavier shots & scored a knockdown. Fury deserved to lose after having so much trouble against a man who has never boxed before… too much time filming Netflix specials not…
— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) October 28, 2023
Tyson Fury’s Close Call
Fury, the reigning WBC champion and a recognized heavyweight powerhouse, remains undefeated in his professional career. In contrast, Ngannou, making his pro boxing debut in this scheduled 10-rounder, presented a remarkable challenge.
The nature of this bout meant that Fury’s title was not on the line, given Ngannou’s lack of professional boxing experience. Nevertheless, the MMA star made a valiant effort.
After delivering a devastating left hook in the third round that floored Fury, Ngannou displayed impressive control in subsequent rounds, only for Fury to emerge with a narrow and controversial split-decision victory.
Fury himself conceded, “That definitely wasn’t in the script,” adding, “He’s given me probably one of my toughest fights in the last 10 years.”
“Fury continued, “Francis is a hell of a fighter, strong, big puncher, and a lot better boxer than we all thought he would be. He’s a very awkward man and he’s a good puncher, and I respect him a lot.”
Ngannou could have voiced frustration over the judges’ decision, but he chose to reflect with grace, saying, “It didn’t go my way. I might have come up short today. I’ll come back.”
Lebron James acknowledged the corruption in boxing and Francis Ngannou’s winning performance. pic.twitter.com/Yx9TZWLz3Q
— MMA UNCENSORED (@MMAUNCENSORED1) October 29, 2023
Francis Ngannou: The MMA Star’s Close Call in Boxing
Ngannou came remarkably close to causing one of the most sensational upsets in heavyweight boxing and sports history.
The match began with Fury meeting Ngannou at the center of the ring. Fury employed a jab to the body and a right cross to the head. Ngannou struggled to connect with his own punches as Fury skillfully avoided his advances.
However, in the third round, Ngannou stunned the world by knocking Fury down with a powerful left hook. Fury took his time to recover, which boosted Ngannou’s confidence. Although Fury responded with strong punches in the following rounds, Ngannou held his ground and counter-punched effectively.
As the fight progressed, Fury’s troubles mounted, but the judges controversially saw him as the victor. Ngannou, displaying his potential in boxing, expressed a desire for a rematch with Fury, confident in his ability to improve in the future, stating, “Now I know I can do this. Get ready, the wolf is in the house. I’m going to bite some sheep.”
