sky sports - Tyson -fury-Francis -Ngannou



Tyson Fury and former UFC champion Francis Ngannou square off today in one of the most contentious fights in recent memory.


WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, 35, has not fought or defended his championship since December, when he defeated Derek Chisora in the third bout to remain unbeaten. The Briton is set to play unified champion Oleksandr Usyk next, but he must first get through this one-of-a-kind match-up with Ngannou.


Ngannou, 37, lost the UFC heavyweight championship when he left the MMA company in January and has not fought since January 2022, but he is regarded as the strongest puncher in combat sports history, perhaps giving him an opportunity for a seismic upset in Saudi Arabia.


Can the Cameroonian shock the world with heavyweight boxing star Mike Tyson on his side? Or will Fury put on a boxing clinic and coast to his scheduled meeting with Usyk, which, like tonight's main event, is due to take place in Riyadh? Check out our live fight updates and results below to find out.

sky sports - Tyson -fury-Francis -Ngannou


Ngannou is defeated by Fury in a split decision.

I'm still trying to process what happened tonight. Fury wins a tough boxing contest against an MMA fighter who is making his boxing debut and knocks Fury down.


Ngannou is defeated by Fury in a split decision.

Usyk, as he said, "We're back in this ring, 23 December, thank you very much, I go to sleep."


Until now, Fury was the one pushing for December 23. He no longer appears to be convinced. Usyk is correct.


Fury: “It’s been going on a long time, let’s do the fight – over here, for all the belts, the undisputed title of the world. Listen, it’s not up to me; we’d go now. These guys will sort it out, it’ll be my next fight guaranteed.”


Usyk: “Let’s go. I’m going to be fighting him, amazing. It’s a big fight, the whole world wants this fight.”


Warren: “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. 


“It’s the biggest fight in boxing. Everybody wants to see it. They’ll see it in Saudi, it’ll break all box-office records.”


Fury def. Ngannou via split decision

Carl Frampton: “I thought Francis won that fight. I couldn’t believe what I was watching. We picked Tyson rationally, Francis coming in for his first boxing match, how could he win? In my eyes, he won the fight. [Fury] struggled with his style. We thought Francis would come in and swing. He boxed beautifully.”

Ngannou is defeated by Ury in a split decision.

Dan Hardy, an ex-UFC fighter who works with the PFL, where Ngannou will compete in MMA next year: "I could count [Fury's] clean shots on one hand." I'm disappointed for Francis; Francis won that fight in my opinion."


Ngannou is defeated by Fury in a split decision.

Fury claims that neither boxer has a rematch clause.


"I felt Tyson Fury won because he was throwing a lot of punches," said Lennox Lewis. Ngannou astounded me. Possessing composure and patience while waiting for the ideal chance. 


"[Fury] wasn't 100 per cent, it was like a warm-up fight to the big fight [with Usyk]."