"Greatest victory in the history of boxing" - Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn weighs in on 'debutant' Francis Ngannou's performance in Riyadh
Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou sent shockwaves through the boxing community when he came remarkably close to defeating Tyson Fury in a bout billed 'the Battle of the Baddest' last weekend.
Although Ngannou entered the ring as a significant underdog, the 37-year-old Cameroonian pushed Fury to the brink, he came agonizingly close to achieving what no one had done before – defeating 'The Gypsy King' in the squared circle.
'The Predator' not only succeeded in knocking Fury down in the third round and causing a significant cut on Fury's forehead but also engaged in a fiercely contested split decision that ultimately ended in an extremely close call. The judges' scorecards depicted a nail-biting outcome, with two judges favoring Fury by scores of 95-94 and 96-93, with one judge awarding Ngannou a 95-94 score.
British boxing promoter Eddie Hearn recently praised Francis Ngannou for his performance in his boxing debut against the WBC heavyweight champion. During his appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Hearn stated:
"I thought he [Francis Ngannou] won the fight. And for a debutant to beat the world heavyweight champion is just the most unbelievable. And I know he has the respect of people and all that, but he should actually also be walking away with the greatest victory in the history of boxing. That’s the reality. I can’t believe he did it."
Check out Hearn's comments below:
Eddie Hearn discusses prospects of Francis Ngannou vs. Deontay Wilder MMA clash
Francis Ngannou's performance against Tyson Fury has created exciting possibilities for potential mega-fights with other top-tier heavyweight boxers like Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua.
Before committing to the bout with 'The Gypsy King', Ngannou had already signed with the PFL but had not yet made his debut. In a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Ngannou revealed that amid speculation about his next opponent, talks have been underway regarding a possible MMA showdown with Wilder.
Following Ngannou's interview, Eddie Hearn also appeared on The MMA Hour and offered his insights on the prospect of a clash between the two fighters inside the MMA cage:
"I'm not being funny, have you seen [Wilder's] legs? If Francis Ngannou kicked Deontay Wilder's legs, they would literally snap in half. Wilder is a boxer, very dangerous boxer, very exciting boxer, very talented boxer. The money for Francis now in boxing, he ain't going back [to MMA]. The money that I know [Anthony Joshua] vs. Ngannou could generate... a lot more than he got on Saturday."
Check out Hearn's comments below (from 9:00):