In one bombshell announcement, the entire combat sports community was in shambles. Tyson Fury, a lineal champion and the current WBC heavyweight champion, will face off against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou on October 28.
The fight, “under the official rules of professional boxing,” will emanate from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is a collaboration between Queensberry Promotions, Top Rank, and Ngannou’s GIMIK Fight Promotions. It is unknown if the WBC title is on the line.
The clash comes at quite a time for both.
Fury, a man who hasn’t defended his title since December 2022, has attempted to face some of boxing's top fighters. Talks with former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua went south fast following Fury’s unique negotiation tactics. The same could be said when Fury attempted to fight WBA, IBF, WBO, and The Ring heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.
MORE: What you need to know (so far) about Fury vs. Ngannou
Meanwhile, Ngannou just signed a deal with the Professional Fighters League. Leaving the UFC, Ngannou joined the "Super Fight" division, created by Jake Paul. He is also a brand ambassador and is allowed to compete in boxing. Ngannou will compete in the PFL cage sometime in 2024.
While opposites, Fury and Ngannou were destined to cross paths, dating back to one fateful night in April 2022.
Why are Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou fighting?
The fight is being dubbed as one to determine the “Baddest Man on the Planet.” But there is more to it, including money.
Ngannou started training in boxing at 22, but by 26, he met Fernand Lopez and MMA Factory while in France. From there, his transition to becoming an MMA star began. In MMA, he is 17-3 with 12 wins via knockout. Still, he had the desire to compete boxing.
The UFC heavyweight champion at the time of Fury's brief retirement fight against Dillian Whyte in April 2022, both liked the idea of fighting one another. They even confronted one another in the ring and teased a mixed-rules fight with Mike Tyson getting involved. However, UFC President Dana White was not part of the negotiations, and when negotiating Ngannou’s new contract, both could not agree.
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Ngannou wanted, among other things, health insurance and a fighter advocate to represent fighters in meetings. Those requests denied, Ngannou signed a deal with the PFL, which has a home on ESPN, the same as Top Rank, where Fury has called home. The deal includes a high seven-figure purse for each fight and a non-exclusive contract to compete inside a boxing ring.
“I’ve been waiting to meet Tyson in the ring for the past three years. My dream was always to box and to box the best,” Ngannou said in a release. “After becoming the undisputed MMA Heavyweight Champion, this is my opportunity to make that dream come true and cement my position as the baddest man on the planet. I’d like to thank Riyadh Season and my team at 3Point0 Labs for helping put this event together. All I will say to Tyson, for now, is he better dance in that ring because if I touch him, he’s going to sleep.”
For Fury, the fight negates the long list of opponents teased for him that didn't include Usyk and Joshua. “The Gypsy King” has looked for big fights for a big purse. Teasing that the bout will make “10-50x” more than UFC fighters make, Fury is ready to add to his legacy (after already beating Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder) by potentially taking down one of the top knockout artists in combat sports.
For reference, Ngannou made about $600,000+ when he beat Ciryl Gane to retain the UFC heavyweight title, his last fight under the UFC banner. In his last fight in December, Fury took home a guaranteed purse of £20 million ($25 million) against Derek Chisora.
MORE: Fury's to blame for lackluster heavyweight boxing schedule
"As soon as that bell goes, it’ll be bombs away! This guy is supposed to be the hardest puncher in the world, but let’s see how he reacts when he gets hit by the Big GK," Fury said. "I can’t wait to get back out there under the lights. I’m looking forward to showing the world that The Gypsy King is the greatest fighter of his generation in an epic battle with another master of his craft.
"Francis looked tough when he jumped in the ring after the Whyte fight, but there is no one tougher than me, and you’ll all see that in devastating fashion on October 28. I’d like to thank my promoters Frank Warren and Bob Arum, my manager Spencer Brown and the guys at Riyadh Season for making this incredible event possible. It’s going to be a fight for the ages. Get up!”
The fight also delays a fight with Usyk, who will defend his titles against Daniel Dubois on August 26. Given the outcome of this bout, Fury could be ready to clash with the winner by the end of the year.