"Doesn't matter"- Tyson Fury claims Francis Ngannou's power is irrelevant in upcoming boxing clash
Tyson Fury has suggested that Francis Ngannou's vaunted KO power is irrelevant in their upcoming boxing match. Boxing's reigning WBC heavyweight titleholder and lineal heavyweight champion Fury is scheduled to face MMA fighter and former UFC heavyweight titlist Ngannou.
The highly-anticipated boxing bout will transpire in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on October 28, 2023. It'll mark Ngannou's boxing debut. Fury's WBC title won't be at stake in the showdown, and the winner would instead be presented the symbolic 'Riyadh Champion' belt.
Speaking with CBS Sports' Shakiel Mahjouri, Fury was asked for his opinion regarding Francis Ngannou's fearsome knockout power based on the latter's MMA fights. Mahjouri inquired how Ngannou's power compares to that of Fury and other top-tier boxers such as Deontay Wilder.
'The Gypsy King' responded by alluding that he's previously boxed and defeated reputable KO artists such as Deontay Wilder. He indicated that Ngannou's power won't make a difference in the ring, as he plans to hit and not get hit. Fury stated:
"I don't think it really matters; about any power. Because, all heavyweights, anyone who's 200-pound-plus, can really punch hard. And if you get hit off these guys, they're gonna hurt you -- no matter who they are, what they are, what type of power they're supposed to have. Yeah. So, I don't really take too much attention to the power of these people; any of the heavyweights.
"When I was fighting Wilder, who had 42 knockouts in a row, I didn't think about, 'Oh, my God! He's got a power punch.' Doesn't matter. They've all got powerful punches. Everybody. And I'm expecting Ngannou to also have a power punch. But the thing is they've got to be able to land that power punch on my face. And it's my job to not let them do that. And before they land one on me, I'll land one on them."
Check out Fury's comments at 3:52 in the video below:
Mike Tyson gives KO prediction for Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou
Former undisputed boxing heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has been a part of Francis Ngannou's training camp for his fight against Tyson Fury. In a recent interview with Mail Online, 'Iron Mike' put forth his prediction for the much-awaited boxing matchup and picked Ngannou to defeat Fury.
Mike Tyson insinuated that he was surprised by Francis Ngannou's pugilistic skills. Meanwhile, many in the combat sports community have asserted that Ngannou's lack of boxing experience would spell doom for him against Fury. Nevertheless, 'Iron Mike' appeared to disagree with that hypothesis. Emphasizing that Fury would be unable to withstand Ngannou's KO power, Tyson said:
“I am helping Ngannou. I am learning what he is able to do. He's able to do so much more than I anticipated. He has what it takes to knockout anything or anybody standing in his way. Once he lands a punch on Tyson Fury's jaw he is going to knock him out too. Nobody can survive that.”