Fury v Ngannou: What the Fighting World Thinks

Fury v Ngannou: What the Fighting World Thinks

The Gypsy King is finally set to step back into the ring. But, he’s not exactly fighting an opponent that you might expect. It was recently announced that he will be facing former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in an exhibition bout held in Saudi Arabia on October 28. The Fury v Ngannou fight has stirred up plenty of controversy, with some fans loving the bout and others believing that the Brit should be stripped of his WBC belt. And with such controversy comes plenty of polarising opinions. 

Here’s what the fighting world thinks of the Fury v Ngannou fight.

Boxers on Fury v Ngannou

A few boxers have had some hot takes on the Fury v Ngannou match-up, offering interesting opinions.

For instance, in a recent interview, Anthony Joshua commented on the fight, saying:

“One: I shouldn’t give a f***, it’s none of my business. It has no business concerning me. It pays me no business.

“Number two: Why? [Fury] should’ve been fighting for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world. Straight up, that’s nonsense, his fault.”

Here, Joshua has pretty much summed up why the boxing world has such a problem with Fury fighting Ngannou. If he made this move at the tail end of his career, no one would’ve batted an eye. But, Fury is talking about legacy and how he’s the greatest of all time, yet is taking a fight with a 0-0 boxer, when he could have fought Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight crown.

Oleksandr Usyk also had a few thoughts on the matchup, stating:

This is a great opportunity for Francis Ngannou. For Tyson Fury, it’s definitely not. Doesn’t it seem strange that instead of choosing a top 10 guy, he is choosing someone who never boxed before?”

Amid this fight, Usyk is now holding all of the cards in the heavyweight division. The public is now starting to follow Usyk rather than Fury, and Usyk explained exactly the reason here.

Dillian White was much less forgiving when asked about the situation. He called Fury v Ngannou a “joke”, and thinks that this fight is a complete disgrace to boxing.

MMA Fighters on Fury v Ngannou

A few MMA fighters have had strong opinions on this fight too. Most of the UFC roster is very happy for Ngannou, as it looks like he’ll finally be getting the payday that he deserves. 

Connor Mcgregor even hinted that Francis has half a chance in this fight, saying:

“I’m interested, let’s see how it goes. I’ve not heard much about it but I’m happy for Ngannou, fair play to him. What weight is Tyson? Is he in shape? Anything can happen in there, so I wish them both well and I’m excited to see it” 

This thought process may be a little hopeful, considering the battering that McGregor took at the hands of Mayweather during their crossover fight.

Chael Sonnen had a very odd take on the bout. He believes that this fight is basically a revelation that Ngannou is past his best, and looking for one more payday before retirement:

“His body has already given out on him. He’s already telling somebody, ‘I’m on the free market. Bid a whole bunch of money for me. By the way, I’ve got a bad knee.’ Nobody in the world… no coach looks at a guy who is hurt and old and pays him a bigger check. It’s a really weird situation. I want him to get it figured out. I don’t say it to tease him. Time is ticking. Every day he’s not signed, he’s losing.”

Very few have had this opinion regarding Francis, and it’s more likely that he’s chasing a big payday while it’s there, rather than looking to cash out and retire.

Other Opinions

Rival promoter Eddie Hearn jumped on the chance to slate Fury amid the fight announcement. Talking to fighthype.com, he said:

“I think it’s terrible for boxing because obviously there was a chance to make the undisputed fight.”

 “I understand the business side. I just feel like you should just be honest, like, ‘We have a chance to make a load of money for an easy fight. We’re gonna do that instead.’ And I don’t think anyone would begrudge it. MMA fans seem to be quite happy with it because I think they like Ngannou securing the bag, but boxing fans seem to be furious.”

Joe Rogan also gives Ngannou a chance in this fight, saying that he has the “nuclear option”. However, he also recognized that it’s not going to be easy for Ngannou to land a jab, let alone a knockout punch.

You can stay up-to-date with the latest happenings in the world of boxing by visiting Boxingblitz right here.