The current heavyweight king of boxing is trying to stoke the flames of interest in a Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou boxing scrap.Ngannou (16-3) is set to defend his lineal UFC heavyweight title in just a few weeks at UFC 270. The Cameroonian goliath will defend his thrown in a unification bout with interim champ Ciryl Gane (10-0). It may very well be the greatest test of his 19-fight career. However, that hasn’t stopped him from talking about the idea of an eventual foray into the land of boxing.
In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, “The Predator” spoke about his interest in taking his talents to the sweet science, and that the ability to do so, sooner than later, “has to be” a part of his next UFC contract. Ngannou was also asked about the idea of fights with heavyweight boxing superstars Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. And the UFC’s “baddest man on the planet” is totally up for the challenge because he thinks he has the power to make those fights competitive.
The UFC heavyweight king wants to box sooner than later
“Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder, I would like to test myself [against] their level,” said Ngannou. “You know, it’s not the same sport but I’m a champion. I’m at the top of this division. At the end of the day it’s just about throwing hands, throwing punches, having a good delivery system. Throwing those bombs, and I’m sure if I deliver my own punches pretty good I can make some damage.”
Ngannou has 12 knockouts in his 16 career victories. He has won five straight in the Octagon, with all of but one ending in a first-round KO. Only division legend and former champion Stipe Miocic was able to last into the second round in that span of time.
Fury, the reigning king of boxing’s heavyweights, is a man always willing to promote himself and his sport. He is also a long-time fan of MMA and has flirted with the idea of a move to cage fighting several times over the last decade. The Englishman has even added MMA training on occasion to his workouts between fights.
Is a Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou boxing bout possible in 2022?
Crossover fights between boxing and MMA athletes are at an all-time high, thanks to Triller and Showtime Boxing. Knowing that, as well as the fact that Ngannou could hit free agency soon with only one fight left on his current UFC deal, Fury took to his Twitter account and asked his over two million followers, “Who would like to see me fight this beast, boxing rules, UFC gloves?”
The post includes tags to UFC President Dana White and Ngannou, as well as a side-by-side image of him and the UFC champ with a Fury vs Ngannou log at the bottom.
Only once in the UFC’s 20-plus year history have they allowed one of their fighters to compete in a boxing ring while under contract. That came in 2017 when they allowed box office star and two-division champion Conor McGregor to face boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, Jr. McGregor was at the peak of his popularity and the co-promoted event was guaranteed to score the UFC tens of millions of dollars in profits.
Fury vs Ngannou won’t be as big a fight as McGregor vs Mayweather, so the UFC is unlikely to sign off on it. But there is a chance it could occur after “The Predator” hits free agency. However, it would mean that he lost to Gane at UFC 270. If he were to beat his former training partner, a champion’s clause in his deal would obligate him to compete one more time in the Octagon. A loss to Gane could certainly hurt the value in a Fury vs Ngannou matchup.
What is your interest in a Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou fight with any size gloves?
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