The so-called “Battle of the Baddest” will see boxing champion Tyson Fury tackle MMA nice Francis Ngannou in a spectacle that includes two fighters on the high of their fields.
It’s going to mark former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou’s first boxing bout – and he is beginning towards a person thought of by many to be the most effective of his weight class in undefeated lineal and WBC heavyweight champion Fury.
The extremely anticipated 10-round showdown is a non-title combat, but Fury claims there’s extra on the road for him now than in any of his earlier battles.
Here is all the things you should know concerning the combat.
When and the place is it?
Fury and Ngannou will face off on Saturday 28 October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with undercard protection beginning at 6pm UK time.
The principle occasion ring walks are anticipated to start out at roughly 10.40pm.
Who’s on the undercard?
One other main conflict is because of happen on the present, between Fabio Wardley (16-0) and David Adeleye (12-0) for the British heavyweight title. Former WBO heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker can even tackle Canada’s Simon Kean.
The remainder of the fights anticipated on the undercard are:
Arslanbek Makhmudov v Junior Anthony Wright; Heavyweight
Moses Itauma v Istvan Bernath; Heavyweight
Carlos Takam v Martin Bakole; Heavyweight
Jack McGann v Alcibiade Duran Galvan; Tremendous welterweight
Concerning the fighters
Anybody with even a marginal curiosity within the sport can be acquainted with the self-proclaimed “Gypsy King”, Tyson Fury.
The six-foot-nine heavyweight, who has a report of 33-0-1 (24 KOs), briefly turned unified heavyweight champion in 2015, when he toppled longstanding holder Wladimir Klitschko.
He was later stripped of two of these titles and vacated the three others throughout a interval during which he suffered from psychological well being points resulting in alcoholism, leisure drug use and excessive weight achieve.
However he went on to compete in one of many nice ever boxing trilogies, towards American Deontay Wilder, successful the WBC title again within the second of these bouts.
The 35-year-old extra lately beat Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora in entrance of record-breaking crowds in London.
Cameroonian-French Ngannou reached comparable heights in his UFC profession, knocking out one of many biggest heavyweights in UFC historical past, Stipe Miocic, in 2021 to change into the UFC’s first-ever heavyweight champion from Africa.
The 37-year-old was stripped of the title after leaving the UFC in January, having did not agree phrases on a brand new contract.
He has not fought since he defeated Ciryl Gane by unanimous determination at UFC 270 in January 2022.
That win was Ngannou’s sixth in a row, including to his report of 17-3-0.
Whereas he can be dismissed by many as a boxing novice, the six-foot-four, 280-pound fighter is not any stranger to the ring, having educated as a boxer for years earlier than making it in MMA.
Heavyweight boxing icon Mike Tyson is coaching him up for the encounter.
Why the cross-over?
Whereas Ngannou is way from a no one, he definitely wouldn’t have been the primary opponent followers considered when Fury was in search of his subsequent problem after beating Dereck Chisora final December by technical knockout.
However the combat was sanctioned by the WBC after Fury’s efforts to make an undisputed championship combat with Oleksandr Usyk, the of the WBA, WBO and IBF titles, failed.
There was additionally hypothesis round fights with contenders similar to Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz earlier than he agreed to the cross-over bout with Ngannou.
Whereas each boxers have insisted it isn’t the case, some have speculated the cash they may obtain has been the deciding issue – with claims Ngannou coud earn greater than £8m and Fury reported choosing up £39m.
Fury’s subsequent combat didn’t precisely come from nowhere, although. Straight after knocking out Dillian Whyte in April 2022, he pulled Ngannou right into a post-fight interview within the ring.
He promised an “explosive combat” with Ngannou, who was UFC champion at that time.
The MMA fighter was receptive to the concept, though he clearly had completely different plans for the character of the combat.
“It will be a hybrid combat with completely different kind of guidelines – you already know, MMA gloves… like a mix-up… one thing a bit completely different,” Ngannou mentioned within the ring, as Fury nodded in obvious settlement.
The “hybrid” pitch by no means panned out, and it was later confirmed that the combat would happen below the official guidelines {of professional} boxing.
Learn extra:
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Tommy Fury: Becoming a dad changed my boxing caree
The right way to watch the protection
TNT Sports activities can be displaying the combat reside on its pay-per-view service within the UK and Eire.
Sky prospects should buy TNT Sports activities Field Workplace on channel 490 through their distant management or through www.sky.com/boxoffice/tnt-sports
Streaming service DAZN can be making the combat obtainable on a pay-per-view foundation in over 200 different nations.
What have Fury and Ngannou mentioned?
Tyson Fury jokes about his weight throughout a face-off with Francis Ngannou. Pic: Motion Pictures through Reuters/Andrew Boyers
Fury has been fast to dismiss recommendations that he can take this combat frivolously attributable to his opponent’s lack of expertise within the boxing ring, claiming there’s “extra using on this than there ever has been earlier than.”
In a press convention final month, he mentioned: “I solely educated six weeks for Deontay Wilder – I am coaching 12 weeks for Francis. I should be on my A-game, as a result of there’s extra on the road now than a boxing combat.
“If I lose to a primary contender or one other champion, then individuals would say, ‘oh, he misplaced to a different champion.’
“But when I misplaced to an MMA man, I am by no means going to have the ability to present my face in public once more. There’s going to be ridicule and persons are going to chuck it in my face without end.
“There’s extra using on this than there ever has been earlier than.
“Whether or not the media needs to take it as a joke or not, make no mistake, Tyson Fury will depart no stone unturned and I’ll are available in at my fittest and strongest I’ve ever been to beat this man.
“If I am not, and I get knocked out, I need you all to chortle at me. That is what I need, as a result of I might’ve deserved it.
“The person’s a machine and I will give 100% respect.”
“I am very excited and pleased,” Ngannou mentioned. “I had a dream as a child to change into a boxer, and now I will field a man on the peak of the mountain.
“For me, often I might not take note of what is going on on round me, however that is so large that I am unable to cease enthusiastic about it.
“Historical past is about to be made in Riyadh on October 28. It is one thing that I did not see coming, though my dream was that sometime it might occur.
“It is not simply going to be a combat, we’re opening up Riyadh Season, so it is a cultural occasion that we’re combating in.
“No one is aware of precisely what is going on to occur, however what I do know for positive is that I will be on the market looking for this man’s head to take it off, I assure you that.”
‘I might wish to combat Ngannou within the cage’
Fury has additionally backed himself to beat Ngannou at his personal sport, in a future MMA combat.
“I might wish to combat Ngannou within the cage; I believe I might beat him for positive,” he mentioned.
“He isn’t an excellent jiu-jitsu man, he is not an excellent wrestler. He is identified for hanging and I am a greater striker than him. I might knock him out in seconds. He is extra of a stand-up striker.”