Advertisement

Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou to fight in Saudi Arabia on Oct. 28

ryan young
Staff writer
·2 min read
32
The Tyson Fury-Francis Ngannou bout is finally happening.
The Tyson Fury-Francis Ngannou bout is finally happening.(Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou are officially getting into the boxing ring.

Fury and Ngannou agreed to fight on Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, according to ESPN. The fight, though just an exhibition bout, is sure to be one of the biggest of the year.

According to the official announcement, a regulation size boxing ring will be used for the bout as well as three judges using the 10-point must system. It's not known whether Fury's WBC heavyweight title will be on the line, and the number of rounds and the rules are also not known.

The two sides have hinted at a fight for quite some time now, and Ngannou said in January that his team was in contact with Fury’s about such a bout. Fury said on the "Out Of Interest" podcast this week that there was real "potential" for it, too, and that they had received some offers.

Ngannou hasn’t boxed professionally yet in his career, though he was a dominant force in the UFC. He holds a 17-3 record in MMA, having last defended the UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane in January 2022. He first beat Stipe Miocic for that belt in 2021.

"My dream was always to box, and to box the best," Ngannou said in a statement. "After becoming the undisputed MMA Heavyweight Champion, this is my opportunity to make that dream come true and cement my position as the baddest man on the planet."

Fury has a near-perfect 33-0-1 with 24 KOs and currently holds the WBC heavyweight title. He last beat Derek Chisora in December. The only blemish on his record came in 2018, when his fight with Deontay Wilder ended in a controversial draw.

"I can't wait to get back out there under the lights," Fury said in a statement after the fight was announced. "I'm looking forward to showing the world that The Gypsy King is the greatest fighter of his generation in an epic battle with another master of his craft."