Tyson Fury remains undefeated in his boxing career as he defeated Francis Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Fury won by a split decision after the three judges turned in their results. One judge gave it to Ngannou 95-94, another gave Fury 96-93 and the deciding judge called it 95-94 in favour of Fury.
The Cameroonian mixed martial arts fighter was the underdog before the fight but in the third round he floored the British heavyweight champion with a left hand punch, quickly becoming favourites.
Fury will fight Oleksandr Usyk, the Unified heavyweight champion. Usyk ringside for fight, with Usyk-Fury planned for 23 December.
“That definitely wasn’t in the script,” Fury told TNT Sports.
“I got caught round the back of the head [for the knockdown]. I wasn’t hurt. I got up and got back to my boxing.”
Ngannou, making his professional boxing debut, came out tentatively behind the jab in the opening round and Fury seemed content with a slow start as he looked to get a read on his opponent.
Fury got a first taste of Ngannou’s power in round two, though, as a cut opened on the forehead of the Gypsy King when he ate a left hook.
Fury hit the canvas in round three when he was found behind the right ear with that same punch and, perhaps still feeling the impact of that shot, struggled to find his rhythm until the fifth round when he caught Ngannou with a straight one-two combination.
After a brief push back from Fury when he started to box at range and have success with his jab, Ngannou again began to land some heavy punches in the latter rounds.
It seemed the scorecards were against Fury and he appeared desperate when lunging forward in the seventh, missing Ngannou and falling to his knees – deemed a slip rather than a knockdown.
Ngannou boxed very smartly when he was able to close the distance, using his MMA skills to clinch and land shots to the body and head.
Fury’s face carried the damage as the final bell rang and Ngannou’s corner held his arms up high in the expectation that he was on the verge of pulling off the biggest shock in boxing.
But the scorecards controversially fell in the favour of the seasoned boxer, who won the commemorative ‘Riyadh champion’ belt.
Fury’s victory means a blockbuster bout with fellow heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBO and IBF titles, which has been signed remains on the horizon.
An undisputed heavyweight contest, the first in four-belt era, has been mooted for 23 December, however, a cut and bruised Fury might struggle to turnaround so quickly.
