Fury and Ngannou on collision course
Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) are two popular combat sports with a large global following. Last week, sports enthusiasts and the public were captivated by a heavyweight professional crossover boxing match between elite fighters from both sports. The fighters in the bout were Tyson Fury, the current WBC heavyweight champion, and Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion. The boxing match, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was sensationally dubbed the "Battle of the Baddest" and became the most anticipated event of the weekend. Eminent individuals, including professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and musician Eminem, were among many others in attendance.
Tyson Fury, the current WBC heavyweight champion
Among the two fighters, I'm most familiar with Tyson Fury. I first learned about him after his famous victory over the reigning boxing heavyweight champion at the time, Vladimir Klitschko, in 2015. The buzz generated by his victory aroused my interest as it was widely celebrated on mainstream and social media, and by boxing enthusiasts all over the world. The positive reaction to his victory prompted me to learn more about him and left me impressed by his stellar record.
Francis Ngannou, former UFC heavyweight champion
On the other hand, Francis Ngannou was relatively unknown to me until news of his departure from the UFC emerged. I'm not an avid follower of UFC's mixed martial arts, but I take a keen interest when my countrymen and fellow Nigerian fighters, Israel Adesanya (Izzy) and Kamaru Usman, participate in matches in their respective divisions. However, after the news of Ngannou's exit from the UFC broke, I discovered his impressive fighting record and dominance in the heavyweight division.
The crossover bout was keenly contested
Despite the outstanding accomplishments of both fighters, Tyson Fury seemed to have an edge over Francis Ngannou due to his boxing experience. While my evaluation of who would emerge victorious after the bout favoured Fury, my support went to Ngannou for two reasons. The first reason was his African heritage, which we happen to both share, and the second was his willingness to explore another profession. Although this was not the first time a mixed martial artist from the UFC engaged in a professional crossover boxing match (Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather have had such a match in the past), I was impressed by Ngannou's attempt to test himself.
Ngannou knocked down Fury in the third round
I did not watch the Fury versus Ngannou match live but was compelled to do so in the early hours of the day after the match, as many individuals commended Ngannou's performance on social media. After watching the fight on YouTube, I agreed with their appraisal of Ngannou's performance. He exuded confidence and demonstrated good boxing prowess. Furthermore, he surprised everyone by knocking down Fury in the third round and continued to slug it out with him until the final round. Although Fury was eventually declared the winner by a split decision, many, like me, were impressed by Ngannou. Fury also commended Ngannou's effort after the match and stated that he turned out to be a better boxer than he had expected.
Both fighters put on a great show
The bout between Fury and Ngannou was an exciting event that showcased great sportsmanship and entertainment. It also demonstrated that unconventional events can be as sensational and interesting as conventional ones. I commend the event organisers for putting up a great show, and I applaud the two fighters for their magnificent performance. It was a delight to watch!
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