Boxing Matchup: When the two square up in the boxing ring on Saturday night, mixed martial arts pro Francis Ngannou may pull off an upset, but Tyson Fury has categorically ruled out any possibility.
With a physical presence of 272.1 pounds against Fury’s 277.7 pounds on Friday, Ngannou—a former UFC heavyweight champion boxing matchup known for his striking—weighed in slightly heavier. It will be his first time boxing professionally, though, when he steps into the ring on Saturday.
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Although WBO, WBA, and IBF champion Oleksandr Usyk may argue otherwise, Fury is the towering WBC champion (whose title will not be at stake) and is largely considered the best heavyweight in the world.
What Fury saw of Ngannou in his previous MMA career and on the scales didn’t excite him.
After the fight, Fury declared, “I think he’s a big fat sausage and I’ll knock him spark out.” “I’ll keep it brief and sweet for him.
“It’s like a table tennis champion facing Djokovic in the Wimbledon final, totally different.”
Ngannou exaggerated his physical strength. “If that overhand right touches him he’ll go down,” he stated. “I’m quite happy with it, and tomorrow night is the big reveal.
We are going to perform for the public. This war will conclude quickly, in my opinion.”
Still, not even MMA commentators are endorsing Ngannou to pull off a historic shock.
Dan Hardy, who fought in the UFC, told Sky Sports “Of course, my prediction is that Tyson’s going to win and he’s going to outbox him for a couple of rounds, weigh on him, bear down on him and then probably look for that rear uppercut or a body shot to put him away.”
Despite having every advantage in this situation, Fury has reportedly been taking it seriously, according to reports from his training camp.
“Very seriously,” responds Solomon Dacres, who has sparred with Fury on Ngannou.
“I started sparring in Morecombe and moved here [in Saudi Arabia] after being there for the last four weeks. He has been training really hard, just as he would for any world title bout.
“He’s been training hard, getting top-notch sparring, and getting ready for the best fighter who will be in the ring against you. Joe Parker and Martin Bakole have also been up there.”
This MMA man is here to try his luck. [Fury] has taken no shortcuts throughout the training camp; he is making sure that every box has been checked.
“There’s no change there because he doesn’t want to be made to look a fool.”
