Francis Ngannou predicts Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight title clash
Francis Ngannou has weighed in on Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk.
'The Predator' recently inked a deal to return to the boxing ring on March 8 in Saudi Arabia. There, he will meet former two-time champion Anthony Joshua. With a win, Ngannou hopes to earn a crack at one of the heavyweight titles.
All of those championships are currently expected to be up for grabs on Feb. 17, when 'The Gypsy King' and 'The Cat' will meet on pay-per-view to crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis. 'The Lion' last accomplished the feat 24 years ago.
Ngannou knows Tyson Fury quite well, as he spent 30 minutes in the ring with him last October. The PFL heavyweight famously dropped the Brit and nearly upset him in his first-ever boxing match. However, Fury managed to escape with a split-decision win.
During a recent interaction with Queensbury Promotions, the former UFC champion was asked about the forthcoming Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk bout. There, he picked Fury to defeat Oleksandr Usyk next month. However, Ngannou also hoped the Brit to win so they could have a rematch.
In the interview, Ngannou stated (via Boxing Social):
“If I’m objective, I will say Tyson Fury. Speaking from myself, I will still say Tyson Fury. Obviously I’m not counting Usyk out. I know he can win this fight. He has a very good chance maybe even. But I still go for Tyson, and I still want him to win to see him for that rematch.”
Check out Francis Ngannou's comments below:
Lennox Lewis to serve as guest of honor for Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk
Earlier this week, fans got some more news about Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk.
It's hard to overstate the importance of the heavyweight title clash itself. Obviously, a fight between 'The Gypsy King' and 'The Cat' would be massive regardless. However, this bout has a lot of historical significance.
The winner of the bout will be the first-ever heavyweight to win all titles in the four-belt era. The last man to become undisputed heavyweight champion was Lennox Lewis, who did it in a different era of the sport.
Still, the winner of Fury vs. Usyk will join 'The Lion' next month. As it turns out, Lewis will have a ceremonial role in the fight itself. As reported by TalkSport, the British boxing legend will be the "guest of honor" for the event.
What that role entails is currently unknown. However, Lewis has already picked 'The Gypsy King' to emerge with the win earlier this month.