Boxer shoves referee on Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou card, Conor McGregor bothered with UFC hiatus, Jake Paul's return in jeopardy: MMA News Roundup
Find out about the biggest UFC updates and other stories with Sportskeeda's daily MMA News Roundup.
Today's issue will discuss the historic Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou boxing match, Conor McGregor's potential UFC return, and more.
#3 Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou co-main boxer nearly punches referee
The "Battle of the Baddest" mega event went down on October 28 in Riyadh in front of the who's who of the sporting and entertainment world. From Conor McGregor and Cristiano Ronaldo to Eminem and Kanye, Francis Ngannou's boxing debut was a star-studded affair.
Among the several wild moments from the event, including Francis Ngannou knocking down Tyson Fury in Round 3, one unfortunate incident took place in the co-main event. David Adeleye faced Fabio Wardley in the co-headliner, putting his undefeated record on the line. He suffered a seventh-round TKO after succumbing to a massive knockdown earlier in the same round.
As referee John Latham stepped in to stop the fight, a bloodied-up Adeleye put his hands on the official and shoved him away. He then attempted a reluctant punch to the side of the referee before pushing him once again.
With several major boxing organizations overlooking the bout, Adeleye could be looking at serious punishment, even suspension, for putting his hands on an official in an offensive manner.
#2 Conor McGregor relates with fellow UFC star Alexander Volkanovski
Alexander Volkanovski recently made some concerning comments about his mental health. Following a second loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 294, 'The Great' admitted that he does not do well when he's not fighting.
Mirroring Volkanovski's comments, Conor McGregor expressed similar sentiments about being on a UFC hiatus for nearly three years. He stated that he is eager to be back in action, ideally in March next year.
"March is earlier than April. I've been kept from my living for almost three years now. Understand that. I came through what I came through. I'm sitting on an injury, and a loss. You hear what Alexander Volkanovski said. I relate."
After months of controversy, McGregor finally re-entered the USADA pool, inching a step further to his much-awaited UFC return.
#1 Jake Paul's boxing return obstructed due to visa issues
Jake Paul is set to make his return to the boxing ring on December 15, but he may be out of a rival at the moment.
During a recent press conference, his manager Nakisa Bidarian, who is also an ex-UFC employee, was supposed to announce the name of Jake Paul's opponent. Instead, he shared a piece of unfortunate news.
"Just regarding Friday, December 15, there was a plan to announce Jake Paul’s opponent for that evening. Unfortunately, the opponent, who was a 7-1 boxer, has not been able to obtain a visa to come to the U.S. So we’re currently reviewing alternative options for his opponent, but the plan is to try to announce it within the next two weeks." [via MMA Fighting]
Time will tell who Paul fights as the replacement. However, going against a 7-1 opponent would have certainly helped with the reputation, he has of never fighting a pure boxer.