They always say in the heavyweight division that one punch can change everything, and that’s what happened Saturday night at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury(34-0-1, 24 KOs) was dropped by MMA star Francis Ngannou in the third round, but he was able to overcome it and win by a 10-round split decision.
One judge had it 95-94 for Ngannou, overruled by two judges that scored it 96-93 and 95-94 for Fury.
The 35-year-old Fury landed solid right hands on Ngannou early. However, Ngannou was able to stand up to his power.
In the third round, it all changed. Ngannou caught Fury with a right hand on the side of the head, and Fury was dropped for the third time in his career by a fighter not named Deontay Wilder. Fury got up, and he did not appear to be hurt.
Courtesy: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
“It’s part of boxing,” Fury said of the knockdown. “I got caught behind the head again. My legs weren’t hurt or nothing. I was alright. And I got back up and it was what it was. And I got back to my boxing. I don’t know how close it was. But I got the win, and that’s what it is.”
However, both fighters were cautious the rest of way, but Ngannou was landing the harder shots.
According to CompuBox, Fury outlanded Ngannou 71-59; however, Ngannou landed more power punches(37-32).
In the end, ‘The Gypsy King’ survives.
“That definitely wasn’t in the script,” Fury said. “He’s one hell of a fighter. He’s strong, a big puncher, and a lot better as a boxer than we thought he would ever be. He’s a very awkward man, and he’s a good puncher. I respect him a lot before the fight and afterward.
“He was very awkward. He wasn’t coming forward. He was standing back and waiting for me to land my punches and then try to counter. He’s a good fighter. He’s given me one of my toughest fights in the last ten years.”
The 37-year-old Ngannou wants a rematch.
“We can run it back again, and I’m sure I will get the better,” he said. “This was my first boxing match. It was a great experience. I’m not giving any excuse. I know I came up short. But I’m going to go back and work harder with a little more experience and a little more feeling of the game. And I will come back even stronger.
“At first, I was a little nervous. This is a new sport that I never did. Now I know I can do this sh*t. So, get ready!”
This was not a good showing by Fury, who entered for the first time in 11 months. He did not appear to be in decent shape, and he did not look like himself.
It should be interesting to see how long Fury will take to fight unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk; the fight was announced in September, but there’s no official date.
Despite losing, this was a win for MMA as Ngannou went against the best heavyweight in the world and almost pulled it off. Maybe he has a future in boxing.
In other action:
Heavyweight: In an all-British showdown, Fabio Wardley (17-0, 16 KOs) put an exclamation point on a bitter, months-long rivalry with David Adeleye (12-1, 11 KOs) by scoring a seventh-round TKO. Wardley pressed the action while Adeleye circled the ring. Adeleye found openings in the fifth round, but in round seven, Wardley was back in control with firm jabs. Then, while separating from a clinch, Wardley landed a right-left combo that floored Adeleye and ended matters with another combo shortly thereafter. Time of stoppage: 2:43.
Heavyweight Former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker (33-3, 23 KOs) defeated Canadian knockout artist Simon Kean (23-2, 22 KOs) via third-round TKO. Parker spent the first two rounds deciphering Kean’s defense. He then began to land uppercuts in between Kean’s guard, first wobbling him and then stopping him with another. Time of stoppage: 2:04.
Heavyweight: Montreal-based wrecking ball Arslanbek Makhmudov (18-0, 17 KOs) notched a first-round TKO against Junior Anthony Wright (20-5-1, 17 KOs). Makhmudov dropped Wright with a right hand followed by consecutive left hooks. Wright survived the knockdown, but another right hand by “The Lion” nearly had Wright out on his feet, forcing referee Steve Gray to stop the fight. Time of stoppage: 1:10.
Heavyweight: 18-year-old British prodigy Moses Itauma (6-0, 4 KOs) iced Istvan Bernath (10-2, 8 KOs) via first-round TKO. Itauma sent Bernath to the canvas with a jab before ending matters with combinations around Bernath’s guard. Time of stoppage: 1:53.
Leave a Reply