A Controversial Victory for Fury
In a bout that shocked many, WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury managed to retain his title against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. The fight, which took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night, saw Fury survive a knockdown and secure victory by a split decision over ten rounds.
Ngannou, 37, who was making his boxing debut, proved to be a formidable opponent for Fury, 35. He surprised the British champion with a knockdown in Round 3 and outboxed him for much of the fight. Nevertheless, Fury rallied and won by narrow margins (94-95, 96-93, 95-94), thereby avoiding the first loss of his professional career.
"He's a hell of a fighter and a hell of a lot better boxer than we thought he would be. He's an awkward man and a good puncher, and I respect him a lot," said Fury after the fight. "He was very awkward. He wasn't coming forward and was waiting for me to throw. He's given me one of my toughest fights of the last ten years."
The Underdog Who Nearly Triumphed
Many boxing experts had pegged Ngannou as the underdog in this event. However, he fought with discipline and aggression, without being reckless in his approach. This led some to believe that "The Predator" was wrongfully denied the win.
The boxing website Bad Left Hook reported that Fury was not in peak physical condition for the fight, with his stamina notably lacking in the early rounds. Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn echoed this sentiment, maintaining that Ngannou won "by two rounds" and that "Tyson Fury looked like he's never laced a pair of gloves before."
Hearn called for "The Gypsy King" to offer his opponent a rematch or face Britain's two-time world champion Anthony Joshua. "AJ will knock Tyson Fury out within six rounds. Make the fight; otherwise, we'll never get it," said Hearn.
Statistics: Fury's Edge
While Ngannou landed more power punches, the latest statistics reveal that Fury landed more total punches in the contest. According to Compubox, Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) landed 71 of 223 punches, while Ngannou (0-1) landed 59 of 231. Fury was also the more active fighter in six of ten rounds, with Ngannou edging three and one round tied.
In the final two rounds, Ngannou landed only six punches, while Fury landed 13, which likely swayed the judges' decision. However, Ngannou did land more power punches throughout the fight, scoring 37 to Fury's 32.
Upcoming Challenge: Fury vs. Usyk
After the bout, Oleksandr Usyk entered the ring and confronted Fury, his next scheduled opponent. Both fighters are unbeaten and hold unified heavyweight titles.
The rumored date for their clash in Riyadh on December 23 remains uncertain as Fury and his promoter, Frank Warren, were non-committal after Fury's fight with Ngannou. There is a chance Fury may have to postpone the title unification against the Ukrainian due to a cut he sustained during his fight with Ngannou.
"I don't think the date will be announced just yet. This fight is on. Both fighters want it. Tyson's got a cut there. We'll see how it heals," said Warren. The Queensberry promoter explained that Fury cannot go into a camp after such a tough fight, as he needs "at least a bit of time to get himself, his body, back into shape."
Usyk, however, insisted that the fight with Fury take place on the agreed date of December 23, as negotiations for the fight had lasted for nearly a year. Usyk argued that Fury should vacate his title if he could not fight on the agreed date.