Tyson Fury, the WBC champion of the heavyweight division, won by a split decision against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, but it cast a shadow over the sport and his weight class. This was after managing only a split decision against an MMA fighter making his professional boxing debut. The fight headlined a boxing card at the Boulevard Hall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on October 28th.

Boxing may never be the same following these events, but this in no way diminishes the performance of Francis Ngannou (0-1, 0 KO’s). He defied all doubts by not only lasting ten rounds with Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KO’s) but also knocking him down during the fight.

These two fighters headlined in Saudi Arabia, a significant milestone for Ngannou, who received a rare opportunity to fight a world heavyweight champion. Yet, it appeared to be a mere money-grab for Fury, who chose to face Ngannou instead of a legitimate top-15 ranked opponent, despite the WBC’s involvement in enabling this exception by not stripping Fury for fighting an unranked opponent.

It was Tyson Fury himself who ultimately dragged the sport down by engaging with Francis Ngannou, who, despite his credentials in MMA, may not have deserved the opportunity against Fury over more capable and experienced professional boxers.

During the buildup to his fight with Ngannou, Fury raised the stakes for himself by proclaiming to be the best heavyweight of all time, not just in his era, while mocking Ngannou and vowing to knock him out. Ngannou, a popular fighter in the world of combat sports, had no prior boxing experience and stepped into the ring as a complete novice. The expectations were low, but he surprised everyone by lasting all ten rounds in remarkable fashion.

From the opening round, Fury appeared in control, landing jabs and power punches on Ngannou. The first round was uneventful, with Fury displaying his boxing skills, though Ngannou landed some powerful shots toward the end, hinting at a competitive match rather than a dominant showcase for Fury.

Despite being a world heavyweight champion, Fury was pushed on the backfoot by Ngannou in the second round. This was an uncommon sight since Fury had transitioned to fighting on the front foot under SugarHill Steward’s training in 2021.

The turning point came in the third round when Ngannou, gaining confidence from the first two rounds, shocked both his opponent and the world. While Fury outlanded Ngannou, he failed to hold the center of the ring, and Ngannou gained ground with his punches. In a stunning turn of events, Ngannou scored a knockdown with a left hook.

Though Fury managed to outperform Ngannou in later rounds, concerns remained. Fury couldn’t apply his usual front-foot pressure style that had previously allowed him to defeat Deontay Wilder twice. Ngannou continued to land punches that seemed to stun or trouble the heavyweight champion. In contrast, Fury’s punches did not appear to hurt Ngannou significantly.

While Fury outlanded and outscored Ngannou according to CompuBox’s punch stats, the margin was smaller than expected. Ngannou’s lack of professional boxing experience should have allowed Fury to excel further in this department.

The punch stats, while favoring Fury, don’t capture the full story. Fury never dictated the fight as he had in his previous matches. Professional boxing matches involve more than just punch statistics, and the vast gap in experience between the two heavyweights indicates that relying solely on these stats doesn’t reveal the actual closeness of the match.

The split decision in favor of Fury, with scorecards of 95-94, 96-93, and 94-95, doesn’t reflect the unique dynamics of the fight. Had the seventh-round knockdown been counted, or if the illegal elbow by Fury had been ruled differently, the outcome could have favored Ngannou.

While Fury secured the victory, the bout was a departure from his usual style, making it somewhat embarrassing for the sport. Ngannou, despite his accomplishments outside of boxing, performed better than Fury’s last three opponents―all of whom were ranked heavyweights.

This match exposed vulnerabilities in the heavyweight division, as one of its best fighters barely managed a controversial win against a pro boxing debutant in Ngannou. Critics may point to Fury’s inactivity, but Ngannou’s own inactivity (not fighting for approximately 20-21 months) and the fact he made his professional boxing debut against Fury should also be considered.

Fury’s win was contentious at best, and it raises questions about the state of the heavyweight division. Ngannou’s performance suggests he could be a top contender after just one loss, casting doubt on Fury’s previous opponents’ boxing abilities or mental fortitude.

With the result as disappointing as it was, it will likely not impact Fury’s career as a whole, regardless of Ngannou’s future in professional boxing or MMA with the PFL. There are still plenty of opportunities for Fury to redeem himself if he chooses to engage with the heavyweights he should, but boxing has been put in disrepute following his October 28th match.

Other factors contributed to this situation, including the WBC’s decision not to strip Fury of his title for fighting an unranked opponent. Fury received an exemption under the assumption that there were no high-ranked opponents available. However, fighters like Arslanbek Makmudov and Martin Bakole, who are both ranked in the top 10 by the WBC, fought on the same card.

This match doesn’t necessarily predict Fury’s performance in the supposed upcoming fight against Oleksandr Usyk in December. However, the damage Fury sustained during his bout with Ngannou might delay or affect the outcome, even if denied by his promoter, Frank Warren, or Fury himself.

It is currently unknown if Fury will rematch Ngannou, as there had been a rematch clause included―but only in a scenario where Fury would lose.

For the other results of the fight card on October 28th at the Boulevard Hall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, please refer to the following article.