The Fury-Ngannou fight is like the Musk-Zuckerberg fight: interesting, entertaining, but has nothing to do with professional sports

In the world of martial arts – two big events. WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will face former UFC champion Francis Ngannou on October 28 in Saudi Arabia. And before the end of the year, we may see a fight between Meta’s main shareholder Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter owner Elon Musk. Both fights are intriguing, arouse considerable interest, provoke a lot of discussion, but the fights of Fury – Ngannou and Zuckerberg – Musk have nothing to do with professional sports. We explain why.

Fight of two yakozuna

Let’s start simple. The playful slaughter of the owners of two IT giants – Musk and Zuckerberg – seems to be really developing into something more than a skirmish on social networks. But if in relation to Musk, hype is a familiar thing, then Zuckerberg was not seen in this.

However, the challenge, apparently, was thrown and accepted, and both businessmen stir up interest by publishing photos from their training, and UFC head Dana White and MMA stars quickly got involved in the organization of the fight.

“We trained with Musk and I can say it was a lot of fun. Elon is very strong. Physically, he is very strong. Much stronger than the average man, ”said Georges St-Pierre, a former UFC champion in two weight categories, after training with Musk. Musk himself, of whose sports achievements only judo classes are known, modestly noted that he needs a lot more training.

Zuckerberg, who has become seriously interested in jiu-jitsu and even won several tournaments, did not remain in debt, responding by training jointly with current UFC champions Israel Adesanya (middleweight) and Alexander Volkanovski (featherweight). The fighters refrained from commenting.

But bookmakers are already accepting bets on the Musk-Zuckerberg fight. Favorit is the younger and more prepared co-owner of Meta. And the fight itself, perhaps, was best described by the second number of the UFC rating in the lightest weight category, Sean O’Malley. “I would watch this fight. But, honestly, it seems to me that it will be a super-hype and at the same time a pathetic sight. It will be a battle between two white and completely unathletic guys. It’s like two high school math students got into a fight.”

Avid for gold Gypsy king

In the battle of Fury – Ngannou, the spectacle, I think, is guaranteed. But sports, as such, will not be in it either. With all due respect to Ngannou – a really bright, powerful fighter, he has no chance in a fight with the Gypsy King under the rules of boxing. If only because the boxing skills of Fury and Ngannou are simply incomparable. And the biggest hit in the world – which Fury attributes to Francis – is also nothing more than a marketing ploy. It is difficult to come up with a more stupid definition for boxing, and indeed for any impact sports, if only because it is one thing to hit a bag or a boxing pad – stationary targets, and another – to accurately and strongly hit a technical opponent.

“I don’t believe Ngannou thinks he will win. He is possibly one of the strongest men in the world with 4 oz gloves and his technique doesn’t matter because he has such heavy hands and he is physically strong which plays a role in his sport. But in boxing, the main thing is the technique, style and mechanisms that you use to win. He doesn’t have any of that. Francis is a terrific, powerful athlete, but he is not a boxer and never will be. I sincerely believe that Fury, if he had decided, would have eliminated Ngannou in one round. MMA and boxing are two completely different sports. It’s like saying that rugby and football are one and the same, because they play with the ball, ”says former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew. And, it must be admitted, he is not the only one.

But money and hype in the modern world decide a lot, if not everything. Ngannou, after leaving the UFC for big fees in other promotions, got a cash fight in boxing. Fury, having jumped from the battle with Usyk, got the opportunity to seriously replenish his bank account again and, if he wins, call himself the strongest fighter in the world. The WBC, which sanctioned the fight, but did not put Fury’s belt on it, will earn on deductions, the promoters on the organizations. The audience, we hope, will see a bright show in the style of Fury and will not be disappointed. But, again, this is not a professional sport.

Something similar has already been arranged by Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor. The only difference is that the first one was almost retired from sports. How it ended and how the fight went, I think everyone remembers. As they remember, the fees of fighters who still excite the world of martial arts. Fury’s fight with Ngannou is a similar story. It is understandable for each of its participants and, probably, understandable for the audience. After all, wrestling in the US is garnering full arenas and incredible broadcast numbers.

I am glad that in the fight between Fury and Ngannou there will be no repetition of the history of the fight between Ali and Inoki with one of the fighters crawling on the floor and kicking from a prone position on the ankles. It is likely that the fight between Fury and Ngannou will even receive a continuation in the form of a rematch. Maybe already wearing MMA gloves. Maybe with some other outlandish moments.

The gypsy king subtly feels the interests of the public and the opportunity to earn money. Another thing is that at the same time he continues to own the championship belt in the most prestigious version in professional boxing. If the fight with Ngannou is an opportunity for Fury to maintain his tone, sense of rhythm, fight, distance before such a long-awaited fight for the title of absolute world champion, we hope with Alexander Usyk, this is not bad. But if this fight for the Gypsy King is a step towards moving into the category of showmen or wrestlers (by the way, the Briton has experience), then Fury will become the absolute world champion. Unless, of course, he really wants it.