Tag: Fury vs. Ngannou

MMA Junkie Radio #3378: Fury vs. Ngannou talk with Michael Rosenthal; guests Josh Emmett, Raul Rosas Jr.

Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

On Episode 3,378, the guys welcome three guests as Boxing Junkie’s Michael Rosenthal discusses Fury vs. Ngannou. They also welcome UFC fighters Josh Emmett and Raul Rosas Jr. from UFC X in Las Vegas, plus recap the latest episode of “The Ultimate Fighter” and more.

WBC granted Tyson Fury ‘special permission’ to box Francis Ngannou, won’t strip him of title

Tyson Fury won’t have to worry about losing his WBC title before he fights Francis Ngannou in October.

[autotag]Tyson Fury[/autotag] is in no danger of losing his WBC heavyweight championship.

Fury was granted “special permission” by the WBC to fight former UFC champion and current PFL fight Francis Ngannou, and he won’t be stripped of his belt despite not making a defense against an official title challenger.

“Yesterday it was made known that the (WBC) champion Tyson Fury will be doing a fight in Saudi Arabia against the former UFC champion (Francis Ngannou),” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman in an official announcement. “It’s a 10-round fight. He asked the Wold Boxing Council for a special permission.

“As you guys know, Fury did everything possible to fight Usyk in December. He’s done everything possible to fight with Joshua, Andy Ruiz. In the end, he wasn’t able to get a top-tier fight and because he’s had no official challenger, we’ve given him permission to do this fight on Oct. 28 in Saudi Arabia.”

 

The fight between Fury and Ngannou is scheduled for 10 rounds under boxing rules, but it’s unclear if the bout will be an exhibition or count toward their professional record.

Fury has yet to compete in 2023. The last time he defended the WBC belt was back in December, a TKO win over Derek Chisora in London.

Ngannou has never competed in professional boxing but has vast experience in MMA. Ngannou has 20 professional MMA fights, with the last one being a unanimous decision win over Ciryl Gane in January 2022.

Shortly after the defense against Gane, Ngannou vacated his heavyweight title and left the UFC earlier this year after a contract dispute with the promotion. In May, Ngannou signed a groundbreaking deal with the PFL that gave him equity and leadership role in the promotion, as well as the freedom to pursue boxing.

[lawrence-related id=2659354,2659198]

For more on the matchup, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Fury vs. Ngannou.

Daniel Cormier apologizes to Francis Ngannou, ‘insanely happy for him’ to box Tyson Fury

Daniel Cormier congratulates Francis Ngannou for securing the bag by landing the Tyson Fury boxing match.

UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] is congratulating [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] on landing the [autotag]Tyson Fury[/autotag] boxing match he was after.

Many people, including Cormier, questioned Ngannou’s decision to part ways with the UFC. Ngannou opted not to re-sign with the UFC after fighting out his contract, reportedly turning down an offer that would have made him the highest paid heavyweight in the company’s history. During Ngannou’s negotiation period, Cormier said he should just “bite the bullet” and return to the UFC.

Instead, Ngannou signed with PFL, which gave him equity and a leadership role within the promotion, as well as the flexibility to box. Now Ngannou is set to face Fury in a 10-round heavyweight boxing match Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – even after Dana White tried to steal his thunder by making a UFC fight between Fury and Jon Jones. And Cormier lauds Ngannou for securing the mega fight.

“First off, I’m sorry, Francis,” Cormier said on his ESPN show “DC & RC.” “I want to fumble your bag, too, Francis. Can I ask you a question? Do you have to be a little bit naive to go out in that world like that and know your value to the point that you will even, when it looked dark, to stand on your loyal and go, ‘It’ll happen for me.’

“Francis had just enough of that, and now he finds himself – he’s going to make more money than he ever could have imagined making in his entire life because, guess what? They’re fighting in Saudi Arabia, which, somehow, literally just bought the PGA. … Francis and Tyson Fury are going to make so much money, it’s crazy.”

By a large margin, Ngannou will make the most money he’s ever made in his career boxing Fury than he ever did for a UFC fight, and Cormier is happy to see him earn a big bag.

“It’s a crazy, crazy turn of events for Francis Ngannou, but we are both insanely happy for him,” Cormier continued. “I want to be wrong in this situation. I’m happy that he’s getting paid in that way.”

[lawrence-related id=2643239,2659214,2659198]

For more on the matchup, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Fury vs. Ngannou.

Video: Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury announcement reaction

MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn and Nolan King react to breaking news of former UFC champ Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury in a boxing match.

[autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tyson Fury[/autotag] is official.

A 10-round heavyweight boxing match between the former UFC heavyweight champion and the current heavyweight boxing champion will take place Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is unclear whether or not the match will count toward professional records or will be strictly exhibition.

In finalizing the bout, Ngannou made history. In early 2023, he walked away from the UFC as the promotion’s heavyweight champion. In May, he signed a non-exclusive agreement with PFL. Two months later, he has aligned himself in a Fury matchup.

Tuesday, the announcement came, which caused numerous reactions throughout the combat sports community and beyond.

In the video above, check out what MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn and Nolan King had to say about the fight just moments after it was announced.

For more on the matchup, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Fury vs. Ngannou.