In an unexpected turn of events, WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury managed to secure a split decision victory over former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a ten-round fight that took place on Saturday night. The bout, which was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marked Ngannou's boxing debut and proved to be one of the most controversial fights of the year.
Fury Survives a Knockdown
Ngannou, 37, outboxed Fury, 35, for much of their fight, even managing to knock down the British champion in Round 3. However, Fury rallied and narrowly avoided the first loss of his professional career with scores of 94-95, 96-93, and 95-94.
"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 in his post-fight interview. "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."
Controversy Surrounds the Decision
Many boxing experts had dubbed Ngannou as the underdog heading into the event. Despite this, they believe "The Predator" was wrongfully denied the win. Ngannou showcased discipline and aggression throughout the fight, but without any recklessness in his approach.
The boxing website Bad Left Hook reported that Fury was not at his physical peak during the fight, with his stamina noticeably lacking in the early rounds. Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn echoed this sentiment, arguing that Ngannou won "by two rounds" and that "Tyson Fury looked like he's never laced a pair of gloves before."
Hearn further challenged "The Gypsy King" to offer Ngannou 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.
Stats: Fury Wins
While the Cameroonian-French fighter landed more power punches, the latest stats 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. This likely proved to be the deciding factor for the judges. However, Ngannou did land more power punches throughout the fight, 37 to 32.
Upcoming Match: Fury vs. Usyk
Following the bout, Oleksandr Usyk entered the ring and confronted Fury about their upcoming match. 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.
"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. After nearly a year of negotiations, Usyk argued that Fury should vacate his title if he could not fight on the agreed date.