John Fury opens up on why the 'Gypsy King' accepted to fight Ngannou despite backlash

Tyson Fury, the reigning WBC heavyweight champion, is gearing up for a highly-anticipated showdown against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, scheduled to take place later this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This long-awaited clash has been in the works for over a year, ever since Ngannou's sensational exit from the UFC. According to a report from The Associated Press, the electrifying crossover boxing match featuring the accomplished mixed martial artist will be conducted in a standard boxing ring, with three judges employing the familiar 10-point scoring system. 

3 Things You Need To Know

• Francis Ngannou joined the PFL promotion after leaving UFC
• Ngannou’s PFL contract exclusively allows him to fight in a boxing match
• Fury and Ngannou faced off after the former’s title defense against Dillian Whyte

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Why did Tyson Fury agree to fight Francis Ngannou? John Fury reveals

Tyson Fury has been linked with an undisputed heavyweight title bout against Oleksandr Usyk for quite some time now, but the fight never took shape despite heavy negotiations. Alongside Usyk, several contenders like Alndy Ruiz Jr. were also available to potentially challenge Fury, but he abandoned all plans of the traditional fight to fix his bout against Ngannou. Given that Fury is not required to make a defense of his WBC title against the former UFC champion, the announcement of the fight prompted mixed reactions from combat sports fans.

 

 

 

 

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Amid all the talks, Tyson’s father John Fury responded to the backlash, while revealing the champion agreed for the fight after accessing all other options. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Fury said, “It is the best option, and it is a gift for both boys. It is a great idea and a great spectacle and both boys are getting paid. It is a crossover fight and that makes it a fun fight. I just think the public want it, there is a lot of interest in it. In conventional boxing there is a bit of a lull, and these crossover fights are good competition”.

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When and where will the Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou fight take place?

Mark your calendars for October 28 as the highly anticipated clash between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou is set to unfold in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In a groundbreaking collaboration, promotional companies Queensberry, Top Rank, and GIMIK Fight Promotions, along with Riyadh Season, Saudi Arabia's state-sponsored entertainment and sports festival, have come together to host this momentous fight. Notably, Ngannou, with an impressive 17-3 record in MMA, will be stepping into the boxing ring for his professional boxing debut.