Well, it’s humble pie for me and every other boxing fan or media member that completely dismissed former UFC star Francis Ngannou as a viable opponent for WBC heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury.
For mocking Ngannou, I apologise. The Cameroon-born fighter put forth an outstanding effort against the consensus No.1 heavyweight in the world and that’s the reality.
He also scored a third-round knockdown, which will be replayed a few million times around the world this weekend. The record will show that Ngannou dropped a 10-round split decision to Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but the 37-year-old proved his point and left the ring as a winner regardless.
MORE: Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou results
Along with his expected punching power, Ngannou displayed unexpected ring generalship, speed, spite and serious toughness. Very early, Fury appeared shocked by what was coming back at him, and although the Manchester man was banking rounds in the fight, he never looked comfortable.
Now, if you’re only as good as your last fight, then Fury is currently awful. I’ve watched “The Gypsy King” since he turned professional in December 2008 and, for the most part, he’s been a dominant force. There was the poor showing against John McDermott in 2009 but that was put right by a stoppage win in the rematch.
This display against Ngannou, however, was next-level dreadful. So what went wrong?
From the start, Fury looked like his timing was off and there was no real plan in place. The champion’s feinting game, which one would have expected to open up a novice boxer, didn’t force any leads from Ngannou. Instead, the former UFC champ held his feet and punched with Fury at every opportunity, which made him very dangerous.
Fury, who is renowned for his ability to adapt and solve any style, could not change the flow. He could win rounds, but the champion didn’t come close to dominating a fighter that the vast majority of fans and experts felt shouldn’t have been in the ring with him.
We're all still in shock after Tyson Fury won over Francis Ngannou via split decision.
— Sporting News Fights (@sn_fights) October 29, 2023
SN's @AndreasHale tells us how @francis_ngannou didn't fumble the bag and showed up tonight 💯 pic.twitter.com/2U47JFn7he
Was Fury distracted? While not in attendance in Saudi Arabia, it’s clear to me that it was party time in Saudi Arabia.
Fury has been an agent of chaos for years, but he’s always switched on when the bell rings. The build-up to this fight was different, though. This was like the red carpet being rolled out at the Oscars, and Fury may have suffered from all the hype and razmataz.
However, it’s no surprise that the unbeaten champion was more chilled out than ever in the lead-up to this fight. He was encouraged to play along with the showbiz because the fight was viewed as an absolute formality. Fury was expected to swat Ngannou aside effortlessly, and instead, "The Gypsy King" was cut, knocked down, embarrassed, and barely scraped by on points.
MORE: Did Tyson Fury beat Francis Ngannou
Always one to learn from his mistakes, I wouldn’t expect Fury to take this approach to a fight ever again, and that’s regardless of who he’s in with. A loss tonight would have been absolutely devastating for his career, and despite winning the decision, Fury will feel compelled to mend his reputation.
An undisputed title fight with Oleksandr Usyk is officially on, even though the date is still to be confirmed. Following the listless showing against Ngannou, Fury might be installed as the underdog.
Bottom line: If Usyk had been in with that version of Fury tonight, then he would have had a field day and left Saudi Arabia as the undisputed champion.
And Fury knows it.
