Is there a belt on the line for Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou? Here are all the details about the fight
Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will make his boxing debut against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in a non-title bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this weekend. The fight will be contested under standard professional boxing rules, including three judges using the 10-point must system.
While Fury's WBC belt will not be on the line, the sanctioning body recently revealed that the contest winner will take home the new 'Riyadh Champion' belt. The WBC custom-designed the unique belt for this fight and is meant to signify the blooming connection between the city and the combat sports world.
Since Francis Ngannou is a former MMA champion and Tyson Fury is a boxing champion, the 'Riyadh Champion' belt has been designed to merge the symbolic representations of boxing and MMA.
The Fury vs. Ngannou boxing match is undoubtedly one of the year's most eagerly awaited combat sports events. The main card broadcast will begin at 2 p.m. ET (USA & Canada) on ESPN+ pay-per-view. Fans in Saudi Arabia can catch the broadcast live at 9 p.m. local time and 7 p.m. for British fans.
'The Gypsy King' is coming off two stoppage wins, a sixth-round TKO of Dillian Whyte in April 2022 and a tenth-round TKO of Derek Chisora in December 2022. Meanwhile, 'The Predator' is coming off a unanimous decision victory against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022. That was his last title defense, and he left the UFC a year later to join the PFL in a deal that allowed him to box autonomously.
Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou new belt: WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman on 'Riyadh Champion' belt
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman recently shared his two cents on the upcoming Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou boxing match. As mentioned, this weekend's blockbuster heavyweight boxing contest will have a special custom-made 'Riyadh Champion' belt on the line.
The belt itself is green in color and has the Saudi Arabian flag positioned in the middle. The Riyadh Season logo is also displayed upfront. The words 'Riyadh Champion' have been boldly embedded in gold letters sprinkled with diamonds. Furthermore, octagon shapes have been placed across its face to mark the influence of MMA in this unique crossover boxing match.
The special belt pays tribute to the late Jose Sulaiman and includes his image, along with the faces of Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou, and Mike Tyson. Mauricio Sulaiman recently arrived in Riyadh and, upon his arrival, commented on the belt. He said:
“It is my great honor to be here! It will be memorable" [h/t wbcboxing.com]