Billy Joe Saunders has weighed in with a prediction for Tyson Fury’s bout with Francis Ngannou, and it’s safe to say Saunders doesn’t fancy the former UFC world champion’s chances.
It was announced earlier this month that Fury will take on Ngannou in Riyadh on October 28, however his WBC world title will not be on the line.
Saunders has been a friend of the Fury family for years, and knows as well as anyone how formidable a fighter ‘The Gypsy King’ is.
And two weight world champion Saunders told TalkSPORT that he had watched Ngannou spar Joe Joyce – and he wasn’t particularly impressed.
“Joe looked like Muhammad Ali sparring that big bum…”
“2 rounds it’s over.”
Despite Saunders’ claims, Joyce himself was actually complimentary of Ngannou’s showing in the spar and said the Cameroonian’s power was “phenomenal.”
Fury and Ngannou have been linked to a crossover clash for over a year now, ever since the latter entered the ring following Fury’s stoppage victory over Dillian Whyte last April.
Ngannou has a reputation as one of the hardest punchers in the history of MMA, and has ended 12 of his 17 victories inside the distance, so it would appear that he has the power to compete with any elite heavyweight in the world of boxing.
However, he is widely expected to fall well below par in the realms of speed, technique and ring IQ against a fighter as skilled and accomplished as Fury.
That’s certainly the opinion of the bookies, as Fury has opened as a 1/20 favourite for the fight.