In a shocking turn of events, WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury survived a knockdown to defeat former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou by a split decision over ten grueling rounds. The highly controversial fight took place on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
A Debut Filled with Surprises
Ngannou, 37, making his boxing debut, outboxed the 35-year-old British champion for much of their encounter. He stunned Fury with a knockdown in the third round. Despite this setback, Fury rallied and narrowly won with scores of 94-95, 96-93, 95-94, successfully avoiding the first loss of his professional career.
"He's a hell of a fighter and a significantly better boxer than we anticipated. He's an awkward man and a potent puncher, and I have immense respect for him," Fury admitted post-fight. "He was very elusive. He wasn't aggressively advancing and was waiting for me to make my move. He's given me one of my toughest fights of the past decade."
An Underdog Steals the Show
Many boxing experts had dubbed Ngannou as the underdog in this event, but his performance told a different story. "The Predator", as he is known, fought with discipline and aggression, but managed to avoid recklessness in his approach. His impressive showing led many to believe that he was wrongfully denied the win.
The boxing website Bad Left Hook noted that Fury was not at his physical peak during the fight. His stamina seemed to wane in the early rounds, raising questions about his preparation.
Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Boxing promoter, voiced similar concerns. Hearn insisted that Ngannou won "by two rounds" and criticised Fury's performance, stating, "Tyson Fury looked like he's never laced a pair of gloves before." He further called for "The Gypsy King" to offer Ngannou a rematch or face Britain's two-time world champion Anthony Joshua.
The Statistics Tell a Story
Despite the Cameroonian-French fighter landing more power punches, the latest statistics revealed that Fury managed to land more total punches during the contest. According to Compubox, Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) landed 71 of 223 punches, while Ngannou (0-1) connected with 59 of 231. Fury was also the more active fighter in six of ten rounds, with Ngannou edging three and one round ending in a tie.
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, 37 to 32.
A Challenge Looms Ahead for Fury
Following the bout, Oleksandr Usyk, Fury's next scheduled opponent, confronted him in the ring. Both fighters are unbeaten and hold unified heavyweight titles. The 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.
Warren explained that Fury cannot immediately enter a training camp after such a tough fight, as he needs "at least a bit of time to get himself, his body, back into shape." He predicted the Briton to return to camp early next year.
Usyk, however, insisted that the fight with Fury take place on the agreed date of December 23. The negotiations for the fight had lasted nearly a year, and Usyk argued that Fury should vacate his title if he could not meet the agreed date.