On Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, two very unlikely opponents will meet in the ring in a bout dubbed the “Battle of the Baddest.” This type of matchup – boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou – is rare, the most recent and most famous being Floyd Mayweather against Conor McGregor in 2017.
If you’re wondering how and why this came about when both fighters have a variety of possible opponents in their respective sports, you’re not alone. Let’s answer the biggest questions ahead of this unique combat sports crossover event.
How Fury got here
Fury is the WBC heavyweight boxing champion, a belt he secured with a seventh-round TKO victory in his rematch against Deontay Wilder in 2018. Fury was previously the unified champion – holding the WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring titles after a unanimous decision victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 – but vacated those belts in 2016 to focus on his recovery from depression. He was open about these dark moments and admitted to having considered suicide.
“When I was on the verge of suicide and attempted suicide, I didn’t realize the damage I would have caused to my family,” the Brit said in an interview with DAZN in 2018. “It never occurred to me when you’re in these dark, dark places, you don’t care about anything or anyone. And by the time you come back into the light, you realize the damage you would have done.
“Not a day went by that I didn’t pray to God to kill me,” he said. “I guess I’ve suffered from depression and anxiety my whole life, but I never knew what it was because I was uneducated on the subject and just thought it was a feeling I had.”
Fury said he “heard a voice speaking to me” and later decided to check himself into a hospital. At the time, he weighed over 400 pounds but was on the road to recovery. He returned to boxing in 2018 and has since gone 8-0-1 in nine fights, his only draw coming in the first clash with Wilder.
Tyson Fury celebrates after knocking out Deontay Wilder in their rematch. (Joe Camporeale/USA Today)
“The Gypsy King” is unlike almost all heavyweights before him. Standing at 6’3″ tall and with a reach of 85 inches, his size and length allow him to keep opponents at a distance while also landing shots from outside. While he doesn’t have the same kind of knockout power as Wilder – arguably the best finisher of his generation – he methodically wears you down with heavy, precise punches that break your will to keep going.
And while Fury has advanced offensive skills, his defensive abilities are unmatched in the division. He appears to see punches in slow motion, evidenced by incredible head movements.
How Ngannou got here
Now fighting in the PFL, Ngannou may be the greatest puncher in UFC history. The Cameroon native moved to Paris at 26 and was so poor that he slept on the streets for months until he was introduced to MMA trainer Fernand Lopez. He allowed Ngannou to train and sleep at the MMA Factory for free.
Ngannou, who had some boxing experience before meeting Lopez, quickly learned basic jiu-jitsu and wrestling tactics and began his pro career in 2013. After a 5-1 start, he made a thunderous move to the UFC in 2015 and hit Luis Henrique brutally KO’d the second round with a vicious left uppercut. He would win 11 of his next 13 fights, all but one – a unanimous decision over Ciryl Gane in January 2022 – by stoppage.
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who is working with Ngannou for this fight against Fury, spoke about this power.
“He has what it takes to take out anything or anyone who gets in his way,” he told the Chron. “As soon as he hits Tyson Fury in the jaw, he will knock him out too. Nobody can survive that.”
Why isn’t Ngannou fighting in the UFC anymore?
Ngannou was a rising star in the UFC, but despite his accolades and ability to drive pay-per-views for the company, the two had major disagreements when it came to his contract. For one thing, Ngannou and his team felt like the UFC wasn’t adequately compensating him.
While the exact numbers are disputed, UFC President Dana White said: “We offered Francis a deal that would have made him the highest-paid heavyweight in the history of the company.” More than (Brock) Lesnar, more than anyone, and him rejected the deal.”
Ngannou, appearing on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” said it was less about money and more about the other aspects of his deal. He said he asked the UFC for a three-fight contract, health insurance and the extension clauses to waive the promotion.
“I asked for a lot of things, that doesn’t mean I expected all of those things,” Ngannou said. “But I was expecting one or two of them.”
“I am not free in this contract,” he added. “I am not an independent contractor in this contract. In this contract I have no rights, I have no power. I give you all power and I have seen how you can use that power in the past.”
Francis Ngannou has not fought since his victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 27 in January 2022. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
The other important aspect Ngannou wanted was the ability to box during his contract. The UFC made an exception for McGregor to face Mayweather, but has not granted that right to anyone else.
“They wanted nothing to do with boxing,” he said. “They said if and only if, and in good faith, and I thought, ‘I’m not betting on that.'”
After more than a year of back and forth, the UFC released Ngannou from his contract and stripped him of his heavyweight title. He agreed to join the Professional Fighters League in May due to interest from several other promotions.
Ngannou, who has yet to make his debut, will fight exclusively on PPV. He also joined the PFL’s Global Advisory Board to represent fighters, will have equity in the company and is chairman of the upcoming PFL Africa League. Oh, and he gets to box on the side.
“You have to give Francis a lot of credit,” said his agent Marquel Martin. “Most fighters couldn’t go through what he went through last year. He understands his worth and has been extremely patient in getting to this point. Now not only is he the best heavyweight in the world, but he also has a contract that is second to none and will secure him for life.”
Is this a real fight?
Well, yes and no. According to Top Rank, this will be a professional, sanctioned heavyweight bout that will count against their records. But Fury’s WBC belt is not at stake. Win, lose or draw, he will still retain that title.
That doesn’t mean there’s nothing at stake. As the fight commercials say, you’ll have to pit arguably the best heavyweight boxer against the best MMA fighter to find out who is “the baddest man in the world.” It’s about bragging rights. It’s for legacy.
What’s next for both fighters?
All belts will be up for grabs when Fury faces Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship later this year. The date and location of this fight have not been officially confirmed, but ESPN reports that it is expected to take place on December 23rd in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Usyk, the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO champion, is 21-0 with 14 finishes. A former cruiserweight champion, he captured those belts with a unanimous decision win over Anthony Joshua in September 2021 and defended them twice with a split decision win over Joshua in the rematch and a knockout of Daniel Dubois in August.
“This is the greatest fight there can be in our sport,” Hall of Famer promoter Frank Warren said in a statement. “The heavyweights always capture the imagination of fans and I have no doubt this will be the biggest boxing event of the century.”
Top Rank chairman Bob Arum added: “Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are the two greatest heavyweights of their generation and I can’t wait to see what happens when they step into the ring in Riyadh. “They are special talents worthy of competing for the biggest prize in sports.”
This fight will arguably be the biggest on the boxing calendar, but if Ngannou causes damage to Fury it could be delayed. Fury agreeing to a fight with Usyk just two months later shows how confident he is against the MMA fighter in the boxing ring. But this is a price war, after all, and crazier things have happened.
Ngannou, meanwhile, is expected to return to the PFL for his promotional debut in 2024. It is not yet clear who his first opponent will be.
(Top Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images)