"Francis Ngannou would absolutely obliterate Tyson Fury within 40-50 seconds" - Former boxer predicts how an MMA fight between the two would go
Tony Bellew believes Francis Ngannou has no shot against Tyson Fury in boxing, but it goes both ways.
Earlier this week, 'The Gypsy King' and 'The Predator' made their historic clash official. For the first time in combat sports, the lineal heavyweight champion from the UFC will face the lineal heavyweight champion in boxing.
The contest is slated for October 28th in Saudi Arabia and will air on ESPN pay-per-view. The bout will be Ngannou's boxing debut, and will only be ten rounds. Furthermore, the WBC heavyweight title won't be on the line, but the council did approve Fury's request for the fight to happen.
That being said, several, including Khabib Nurmagomedov, have opined that the fight won't be close. It's safe to say that Tony Bellew is in agreement with that idea, as he revealed in an interview with TalkSport. There, the former champion blasted the fight.
Furthermore, he added that Tyson Fury couldn't last a minute with Ngannou in the cage. Bellew added that if the Brit takes it seriously, 'The Predator' shouldn't last a round in the ring. He stated:
“It's a cash grab from both sides... It would be just as stupid if Tyson Fury was to get in the cage with Francis Ngannou because Francis Ngannou would absolutely obliterate Tyson Fury within 40-50 seconds. I genuinely believe Tyson Fury, if he chooses to, could get rid of Francis Ngannou in a round. MMA and boxing are two completely different sports."
Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury: Opening Betting Odds
Tony Bellew's thoughts align with the opening betting odds for Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury.
'The Predator' has never boxed in his career to date, but is a massive puncher. For years, Ngannou has called to make his boxing debut for years in the UFC but failed to get the opportunity.
Now, a member of the PFL, he controls his own destiny on the boxing side of things. For his boxing debut, Ngannou has been vocal about his intention to score a knockout win over 'The Gypsy King'.
However, oddsmakers and fans aren't riding with Ngannou as of now. In the recently released betting odds from FanDuel, the former UFC heavyweight champion opened as a massive +620 underdog. Meanwhile, Tyson Fury has opened as a -1100 betting favorite for the historic contest.
Nonetheless, the odds will shift as we get closer to fight night in October.