Fight Week: Tyson Fury scheduled to ‘fight’ Francis Ngannou

FIGHT WEEK

At stake: Serrano’s IBF, WBA and WBO titles
Odds: Serrano 11-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Damian Lescaille vs. Ray Barlow, welterweights; Antonio Vargas vs. Hernan Marquez, bantamweights
Prediction: Serrano UD
Background: Serrano’s fight with Ramos fight will be contested under men’s rules, 12 three-minute rounds. The longtime 126-pound queen will be making her third defense this year and fourth in 13 months. She last fought in August, when she nearly shutout Heather Hardy in their rematch in Dallas. The 35-year-old Puerto Rican has won three consecutive fights since losing a decision to 135-pound champ Katie Taylor in April of last year. Serrano has held major titles in a record seven divisions if you don’t count Manny Pacquiao’s Ring Magazine titles. Ramos, a 38-year-old Brazilian, is coming off a break-through split decision victory over Brenda Karen Carbajal in August, which earned her a shot at Serrano.

Date: Friday, Oct. 27
Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Polideportivo Alexis Arguello, Managua, Nicaragua
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Division: Junior flyweight (108 pounds)
At stake: Gonzalez’ WBO title
Odds: NA
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Rene Santiago vs. Kevin Vivas, junior flyweights
Prediction: Gonzalez UD
Background: Gonzalez will be making the third defense of the 108-pound title he won by outpointing Elwin Soto in October 2021. The 32-year-old Puerto Rican subsequently decisioned Mark Anthony Barriga in Florida and Shokichi Iwata in Japan. The latter fight took place in November, almost a year ago. Gonzalez has won five consecutive fights since he was stopped by then 112-pound titleholder Kosei Tanaka in seven rounds in 2019. Zapata is a 29-year-old who will be fighting for a major title for the first time. And he’ll be doing it in his home country. He failed to win his last two fights, a disqualification loss against Rene Santiago last December and a split draw against Azael Villar in August. Gonzalez had been scheduled to face Leyman Benavidez but Benavidez pulled out because of illness a month ago. Zapata, scheduled to fight on the undercard, happily stepped in.

Date: Saturday, Oct. 28
Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
Division: Heavyweight (no limit)
At stake: No major title
Odds: Catterall 10-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: Fury No. 5
Also on the card: Fabio Wardley vs. David Adeleye, heavyweights; Joseph Parker vs. Simon Kean, heavyweights; Carlos Takam vs Martin Bakole, heavyweights; Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. Junior Anthony Wright, heavyweights
Prediction: Fury KO 6
Background: Fury is already committed to face fellow titleholder Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship this winter but must deal with Ngannou first. The MMA star is making his boxing debut against the most accomplished heavyweight in the world, meaning this matchup is nothing more than a glorified sparring session for Fury that will earn both men a lot of money. Fury last fought in December, when he stopped Derek Chisora in 10 rounds. The 35-year-old from Manchester, England, will have been out of the ring for almost 11 months. Ngannou last fought in UFC 270 in January of last year, 21 months ago. The 37-year-old native of Cameroon outpointed Ciryl Gane in that bout.

Date: Saturday, Oct. 28
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Poliforum Benito Juarez, Cancun, Mexico
TV/Stream: DAZN
Division: Junior lightweight (130 pounds)
At stake: Foster’s WBC title
Odds: Foster 2-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Justis Huni vs. Andrew Tabiti, heavyweights; Eduardo Nunez vs. Oscar Escandon, junior lightweights; Cristopher Lopez Rodriguez vs. Aaron Alameda, junior featherweights
Prediction: Foster UD
Background: Foster is coming off a sensational unanimous decision victory over Rey Vargas to win his first major belt this past February. The 30-year-old from Houston, a one-time amateur star, has won 10 consecutive fights since he lost for the second time in 2016. Hernandez is a 25-year-old banger from Mexico. He has a knockout percentage of 91, with 31 KOs in 35 fights. No one has gone the distance with him since 2014, although he was stopped in one round by Roger Gutierrez in 2019. He has won six fights since the setback. The native of Mexico City will have the advantage of fighting in front of his home country fans.

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THURSDAY

Jordan Panthen vs. Alejandro Ibarra, junior middleweights, Costa Mesa, California (FITE)

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