Englishman Tyson Fury, world heavyweight champion of the World Boxing Council (WBC), fell against Cameroonian Francis Ngannou, former UFC heavyweight champion, but still managed to defeat him by split decision in the boxing contest that was held at the Boulevard. Hall of Saudi Arabia.
Judges Alan Krebs and Juan Carlos Pelayo voted 95-94 and 96-93, respectively, in favor of Fury, while Ed Garner saw Ngannou win 95-94.
“It’s not in the script. Francis is a great fighter. He’s a great puncher and his amazing style is complicated,” Fury said after the fight. “I respect (Ngannou) before and during the fight.”
In the third round, a low blow from the Cameroonian sent the WBC champion and number one in the ESPN heavyweight rankings to the canvas.
Fury’s stunned look as he was on the canvas showed his surprise and he expected the rest of the fight to not be a walk as the Englishman had budgeted for.
Of his fall Fury explained: “It’s boxing. He caught me well with one punch.”
Meanwhile, Ngannou insisted that he is very proud of his performance and that he is ready to continue honing his boxing skills. “Maybe he landed a lot of punches, but I proved a lot of people wrong again. I’m a good fighter.
“Now I know I was made for this shit… I’m a wolf and I’m ready to bite a lot of sheep,” emphasized the Cameroonian.
Billboard results for October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Tyson Fury G (DD-10/10) Francis Ngannou, heavyweight
• Fabio Wardley G (TKO-7/12) David Adeleye, heavyweight
• Joseph Parker G (KO-3/10) Simon Kean, heavy
• Arslanbek Makhmudov G (TKO-1/10) Junior Anthony Wright, heavyweight
• Jack McGann G (TKO-2/8) Alcibiade Duran, super welterweight
• Carlos Takam L (TKO-4/10) Martin Bakole, heavyweight
• Moses Itauma G (TKO-1/6) Istvan Bernath, heavyweight
