Oleksandr Usyk, next in line to face Tyson Fury, was not convinced that the Gypsy King put on his best performance against Francis Ngannou. The former UFC Heavyweight champion made his foray into boxing against the WBC Heavyweight champion. Fury was easily the favorite for the fight before it began. However, by the end of it, Ngannou had given Fury a run for his money.
Tyson Fury defeats Francis Ngannou via Split Decision (96-93, 94-95, 95-94)
Francis pulls off the unthinkable
Francis didn’t get the win but will always be able to say, I dropped (and beat) the Lineal HW Champion, Tyson Fury
Forget about the decision. Greatest upset all time pic.twitter.com/AROeMo3RNm
— The Octagon Obsessed (@octagonobsessed) October 29, 2023
Ngannou has been looking to get in on the boxing scene for years. He was hoping to get a fight against Fury or Deontay Wilder. It seemed like a long shot to get one of the best active Heavyweight fighters for your debut. However, Ngannou pulled it off. He bagged the fight against Fury and fought valiantly.
The Cameroonian fighter landed strong punches on Fury and even knocked him down. However, for the judges, Ngannou’s performance was not enough. Fury was adjudged the winner via a split decision as the judges scored the fight 95-94, 93-96, and 94-95. Many did not agree with the judges’ decision, however, it was what it was.
Usyk, who witnessed the bout with great focus, was asked afterward about his views on Fury’s performance. He did not believe this was Fury at his best. He believed that Fury was just putting up a show and this was not his true potential. Usyk said, “I think it was show.”
Oleksandr Usyk réagit à la victoire de Francis Ngannou sur Tyson Fury… même lui il sait plus quoi penser 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/z5d5t2BEPd
— MMA Fanatics (@MMAfanaticsFR) October 29, 2023
Usyk took nothing away from Ngannou stating that he is a world champion MMA fighter. He did not want to say much about how he would approach his bout against Fury. however, he did hope for Fury to come out of the Ngannou fight unharmed. Any injury to Fury against Ngannou could have led to Usyk vs. Fury being postponed.
Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury confirm their upcoming bout after Gypsy King’s win over Francis Ngannou
Ukrainian boxer Usyk boasts an extraordinary pro-boxing record of 21-0. He currently holds the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles. Fury, on the other hand, holds the WBF Heavyweight title. Combined, Usyk and Fury hold all the major Heavyweight titles in boxing. A bout between them was meant to happen.
After Fury defeated Ngannou, Usyk and Fury faced off in the ring to confirm their future bout. “Let’s go!” Fury said.
Fury & Usyk in the ring…
Fury: “It will be our next fight, guaranteed.”
Usyk: “The world want this fight. Let’s go. Dec 23, I’m ready to fight.”
Frank Warren: “This is the biggest fight out there.”
Set for Saudi Arabia. Paperwork pending.#FuryNgannou | #FuryVsNgannou
— BetUK (@BetUKOfficial) October 28, 2023
“Let’s go,” Usyk replied. “I’m going to be fighting him, amazing.”
“Let’s go now if you want,” Fury continued. “It’ll be our next fight guaranteed.”
An unofficial date for the bout seems to be December 23, 2023. The unofficial venue, on the other hand, seems to be Saudi Arabia. We should get more clarity about the bout in the coming weeks.