Hard-fought win for the Gypsy King via split decision
WBC heavyweight belt holder Tyson Fury won ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou and won the Riyadh champion title. The fight, according to boxing rules, lasted all the allotted 10 rounds, following which two judges gave the victory to Fury, one to Ngannou.
Francis, who was considered the underdog of the confrontation, acted actively from the first round, breaking the distance well and not yielding to Fury in the clinches. The Briton, on the contrary, took a long time to turn on and could not find the usual rhythm and timing.
One of the most striking episodes of the fight happened in the third round. Ngannou caught Fury with a left hook, sending Tyson to the canvas. The referee had to open the scoring, and Fury had to save himself on his feet, just trying to hold out time until the end of the round.
Subsequently, the battle took place with varying advantages. Ngannou was more active, Fury more precise. As a result, the judges’ opinions were divided: one gave the victory to Ngannou (95:94), the other two – Fury (96:93 and 95:94).
Fury is scheduled to fight his next fight against WBA/WBO/IBF/IBO world champion Oleksandr Usyk. It was reported that the fight is planned to take place on December 23 or January 2024 in Saudi Arabia. It is planned that the exact date of the event should be announced today.
The contract for the undisputed heavyweight title between Usyk and Fury contains a rematch clause. The clause applies to both boxers; the loser can initiate a re-fight.
Source: Sportarena
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
