Tyson Fury’s next outing will be against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a major crossover contest on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Both combatants are widely thought of as the best heavyweights in their fields but while mixed martial artist Ngannou is renowned as a fearsome puncher, he is ultimately stepping into Fury’s world.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the talking points arising from a bout that has excited some, bemused many others and has been dubbed a clash to determine the ‘baddest man on the planet’.
Was this announcement expected?
The pair have traded barbs on social media for many months so it was not a total surprise, but it is underwhelming to a lot of boxing fans. Fury, the WBC champion, has seen negotiations for fights against WBA, IBF and WBO titlist Oleksandr Usyk and British rival Anthony Joshua collapse. An undisputed world title showdown against Usyk falling by the wayside is especially disappointing for the sport with each fighter blaming the other for talks breaking down. With Usyk and Joshua now tied up, Fury’s team have argued he was out of credible challengers so in steps Ngannou, who has risen to the top of mixed martial arts but never boxed professionally.
Surely there was someone more capable for Fury?
Usyk will defend his world titles against mandatory challenger and Fury’s promotional stablemate Daniel Dubois while Joshua has elected for a rematch against London rival Dillian Whyte next month. Fury was also linked with former world champion Andy Ruiz Jr, who seems to be leaning towards a fight against Deontay Wilder. Fury taking on a novice will grate with traditionalists but the WBC granted the self-styled Gypsy King permission to fight Ngannou without the title being at stake because there is “no official challenger”.
Is this a gimmick?
While Fury will not be defending his world title, his team have insisted this is not an exhibition. There will be three ringside judges present and the 10-point must system – the scoring criteria used in all of professional boxing – is being implemented. It remains unclear how many rounds are scheduled and if this will count towards Fury’s professional record. Fury’s co-promoter Frank Warren called this a ‘game changer’ but MMA stars crossing over into boxing has been increasingly prevalent since Conor McGregor faced Floyd Mayweather in a lucrative battle.
What is Ngannou’s story?
Ngannou left extreme poverty in his native Cameroon, where he worked in a sand quarry from the age of 10, to pursue a boxing career in Europe. He ended up homeless in Paris in his mid-20s but his potential was recognised in a gym and he was persuaded to switch his focus to MMA, rising through the ranks to become top dog in the UFC. Ngannou was stripped of his title in January amid an acrimonious departure from the UFC and has signed with the Professional Fighters League on an MMA deal only. This has opened the avenue for Ngannou to pursue his first true passion.
What chance does Ngannou have?
MMA fighters have not transitioned well to boxing, with McGregor losing to Mayweather in 2017 while Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva have been beaten by YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. Going in Ngannou’s favour is his devastating power – he has highlight-reel knockouts few others can match – but the 36-year-old will be wearing bigger gloves against Fury. The Briton knows how to handle formidable punchers having beaten Wilder twice and has promised to stand toe-to-toe with Ngannou. This may open the door fractionally for Ngannou but in any situation he is a massive underdog. Fury is superb technically, can adapt to any situation and has shown he possesses frightening power himself.
What next for Fury, assuming he wins?
A frequent criticism of boxing is it is hard to distinguish who is the best fighter in a weight category given there are four major world titles although the sport has recently got its act together. There have been several undisputed world title fights in the past couple of years but the heavyweight division is the anomaly. Irrespective of who is to blame, this does not reflect well on anybody. Fury, who has attracted the most criticism, argues he is the greatest of this era but fights against Derek Chisora and Ngannou do not pass the muster. No ifs or buts for Fury, Usyk must be next.
JBA stages 1st fight card for 2024
The Jamaica Boxing Association staged its long awaited first fight card for 2024 with four fights and an exhibition bout on Saturday at the Stanley Couch Gym in Kingston. It was an all amateur fight card under the banner Gloves Over Guns Futures Programme.
Three of the four fights went to the Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) whose boxers looked well prepared and physically fitter than their opponents. Arguably the fight of the night was the final (elite) bout between Delano McLaughlin of the JDF and Kirk-Patrick Heron of the Port Antonio Gym in a light heavyweight match-up. Both fighters were very determined while going all three rounds of three minutes each. At times they traded blow for blow while taking some big punches but in the end McLaughlin landed more hits and was adjudged the winner.
The first JDF boxer to enter the ring was Gervin Garrison in a light heavyweight matchup with Sadeki Harris of GC Foster Gym. Both boxers got busy immediately but Garrison soon showed that he was the better fighter with cleaner punches and was more agile around the ring. Harris took a lot of punishment and showed a lot of heart to stay toe to toe with Garrison but just did not have the strength to throw some winning punches as Garrison came out the clear winner.
That fight gave way to another JDF match-up between with Shawn Morgan in a lop-sided super heavyweight face off with Vernando McKenzie of Funrobics Gym. McKenzie entered the ring confidently but could not handle the force and speed of Morgan. He faced referee Wayne Roberts count more than once in the less than two rounds that he was in the ring, as Roberts eventually stopped the fight midway in the second round.
The only boxer out of the blue corner to record a win on the night was Mark-Andre Mendez of Control Strike Gym against Hammid Gordon of Funrobics Gym. They put on a spirited light middleweight show for the crowd but Mendez sent down more punches and was definitely under less pressure in the ring.
The opening action on the night was an entertaining exhibition bout which went to Alex Grant of Suga Gym over Crishaun McPherson of Funrobics Gym. They were the youngest boxers on show at just fourteen years old.
Stephen Bomber Jones, president of the Jamaica Boxing Association was pleased with the response from the boxing community. “I am very encouraged. I am extremely encouraged by what I saw. I am more encouraged also by the response by the boxers, the gyms and the managers themselves because tonight represents what they have been asking for, at least an answer, one of the answers for what they have been asking for. They have had their boxers training without being able to showcase their skills so this gives a platform to answer that so I am very happy.”
He also said ‘the last Saturday of every month we intend to have the same show but going forward it won’t just be amateurs. We want this platform to be from the most novice boxer which is our grassroot boxers – children, the elite amateurs – those that will over the next couple of years give the activities so that they can represent us internationally and also those boxers who want to turn pro, we give them this platform to have monthly bouts so that they can build a professional record so that they can be the choice of boxers that we carry around the island. The public deserves the best boxers when we do the Fight Night Series so this will be kind of be a feeder programme into the Series. The best boxers, the best amateurs and the best professionals that come out of this we will showcase around the island.”
The fight card was sponsored by Pepsi, S&G Road Surfacing, Vere Events, Locker room Sports and Creative Sports
Joshua 'rolled the dice, but came up short' in Dubois defeat
Anthony Joshua is likely to call for a rematch against Daniel Dubois, having conceded he "came up short" after he "rolled the dice" in Saturday's bout at Wembley Stadium.
In front of a record-breaking, 96,000 crowd that had been further geed up by a performance from Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, it was Dubois who turned in a supersonic display on Saturday.
Joshua saw his hopes of clinching the IBF heavyweight title slide away as Dubois dominated from the off, before delivering the knockout blow in round five.
Some pundits suggested this should be the end for Joshua, though the 34-year-old insisted he is not planning on stopping any time soon.
"Credit to him and his team. We rolled the dice of success, but we came up short," he told DAZN.
"You know I'm ready to kick off in the ring, but I'm going to keep my cool, keep very professional, and give respect to my opponent.
"I'm always saying to myself I'm a fighter for life... We keep rolling the dice.
"I had a sharp opponent, a fast opponent and a lot of mistakes from my end, but that's the game."
Promoter Eddie Hearn, meanwhile, claimed Joshua would likely take up the option of a rematch.
"I'm sure he'll exercise that rematch clause, it's a given, it's a dangerous fight because he's growing in confidence all the time but he'll believe he can beat him," Hearn told DAZN.
Dubois, though, will likely want to turn his attention to facing the victor out of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, with their rematch set to take place in December in Saudi Arabia.
'Gladiator' Dubois desperate for 'redemption' after brutal Joshua knockout
Daniel Dubois does not want his "redemption story" to stop after dominating Anthony Joshua to reclaim his IBF heavyweight title.
Oleksandr Usyk vacated his IBF belt, labelling it as a present for the fight between Joshua and Dubois, the latter taking the title by default.
Dubois left no doubts over the merit of his belt on Saturday, though, delivering a brutal fifth-round knockout blow to Joshua in front of a record-breaking crowd for the all-British clash at Wembley Stadium.
Speaking on DAZN after an impressive triumph, Dubois addressed the record-breaking crowd: "I've only got a few things to say, are you not entertained?!
"It's been a journey and I'm grateful to be in this position. I'm a gladiator, I'm a warrior until the bitter end. I want to get to the top of this sport and reach my full potential.
"Behind the scenes, the work with my dad. I've been on a rollercoaster run, this is my time, this is my redemption story. I'm not going to stop until I reach my full potential."
Tyson Fury and Usyk are set for a Riyadh rematch in December, though Dubois will be waiting in the wings for a shot at the heavyweight pair.
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn immediately suggested his fighter will seek to activate a rematch clause with Dubois, however.
Whether Joshua can recover from this defeat remains to be seen, having been sent spiralling to the canvas multiple times, including in the opening round.
Joshua appeared to have found a way back into the bout in the fifth, only for Dubois to land a crucial right-hand finisher, much to his understandable delight.
"I am the man," he added to Sky Sports. "A mix of emotions. I can't say too much right now. I'm fighting to get all the glory. To me, I'm the hunter and I need to hunt."
As for his next fight, Dubois is dreaming big, adding: "All of the best, maybe Usyk [for] a big shot at my redemption. Anyone can get it."
Frank Warren echoed Dubois' sentiment, with the Queensbury promoter eyeing another shot at Usyk for Dubois, who lost to the Ukrainian in August last year.
"It was a phenomenal fight and I always felt it would be a [Marvin] Hagler versus [Thomas] Hearns situation," Warren told DAZN. "AJ showed his heart right until the end. It was a brilliant fight.
"I always felt Dubois would do it and he has. It's not a turnaround, it was there. He was a young man and had double fractures in his eyes, he couldn't fight. He hurt him [Usyk], I'd like to see him fight him now but he has to fight Tyson now.
"Everyone here has seen a champion's performance. He's done everything you could ask for. AJ caught him with a shot over there and I was worried. He's a young man and on top of his game, he can improve."
WBO interim heavyweight champion Joseph Parker also put his name into the hat to face Dubois, with Fury and Usyk not set to meet until later this year, which would keep any challenger waiting.
"If he [Dubois] wants to get it on then let's go," Parker said on DAZN immediately after the result.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
