Francis Ngannou very nearly shocked the world! Following an otherworldly performance, Ngannou narrowly fell short of a monumental victory. However, the MMA community and a lot of people in general are convinced that Francis was robbed in the fight.
In what has been an unbelievable night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Francis Ngannou made the WBC heavyweight champ look like a mere mortal. Ahead of the fight, Ngannou was hardly given a prayer against the lineal heavyweight champ. However, on the night, Ngannou wore his heart on his glove and delivered the performance of a lifetime.
Coming into this one, Tyson Fury was expected to have a quick run out and get some warmup for the Usyk fight. However, the former UFC heavyweight champ came in focused, determined, and prepared. Initially, Fury showed some good movement, easily outboxing Ngannou at times. Unfortunately, he underestimated the Cameroonian too early and was sent to the canvas for it in Round 3. In what was a moment that nobody had expected, the arena was overcome with shock, astonishment, and euphoria.
With that said, Francis continued his onslaught, often leaving the WBC champ puzzled and desperate. As the rounds went on, ‘The Predator’ piled on the damage, at times leaving Fury to resort to clinching. Having landed a cut on Fury’s forehead, Francis kept on till the very end, trying to secure the victory. By the very end, many felt as though the unthinkable had come to pass, and Tyson Fury would no longer be unbeaten.
MMA fighters believe that Francis Ngannou won the fight against Tyson Fury
Following the final bell, the general consensus was that Ngannou had won the fight. In the final moments of the fight, even the commentary desk stated that Fury needed a knockout or at least a knockdown to tip the balance in his favor. As such, even they expected the scorecards to be read out in favor of the Cameroonian fighter.
However, to everyone’s shock and surprise, the scorecards went in favor of Tyson Fury by way of a split decision (94-95, 96-93, 95-94). Naturally, many were left awestruck and heartbroken by the result, especially after the heroics that Ngannou had displayed. Although for the viewers, it seemed as though Francis should have won, the punching stats tell a different tale. According to the stats, Ngannou landed a total of 59 punches out of 231 whilst Fury landed 77 out of his 231 attempts.
My next fight is gonna be in the world of boxing. But fuck me it’s one corrupt shambles of a thing. Francis won that fair and square. Either way he won no matter what. Unlucky Fury…
Not a bad fight.
Goodnight.— DT (@darrentill2) October 28, 2023
Roberto Duran says Francis Ngannou defeated Tyson Fury. #FuryNgannou pic.twitter.com/pAQgozBJlh
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 28, 2023
Mike Tyson reacts to the #FuryNgannou result in a chaotic ringside scene.
🎥 @MikeBohn pic.twitter.com/uDpMkVYGjW
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 28, 2023
Notably, Ngannou managed the only knockdown of the fight in Round 3. In addition to that he managed to give Fury a black eye and a cut on the forehead, whilst showing no signs of any bruises or cuts himself. Naturally, MMA fans and other viewers were left outraged at the result and took to Twitter/X to vent their frustrations.
Interestingly, the entire MMA community, including fighters believed that Ngannou won. Names such as Gilbert Burns, Conor McGregor, Demetrius Johnson, Nate Diaz, and many others shared the same sentiments online.
Moreover, people from the boxing community like Chris Eubank Jr., Mike Tyson, and Roberto Duran also believe that Ngannou won the fight. As such, many have alleged that the Fury’s have seemingly ‘fixed’ the sport. Do you believe that it was a robbery? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.