Frank Warren has given his honest assessment of Tyson Fury’s performance against Francis Ngannou last Saturday night in Saudi Arabia.
Ahead of the fight, not many within boxing gave the former UFC champion and pro boxing debutant much hope against the fighter most regarded as the number one heavyweight on the planet. But Ngannou shocked the world when he knocked the WBC champion down in the third round and only lost by a close split decision.
Speaking to Boxing News, even though Warren thought his man won relatively comfortably on the cards, he did admit that Fury didn’t look his usual self.
“That wasn’t Tyson Fury in there, it was a bad day at the office. But it was a win, he won the fight through his grit and determination. Ngannou was very dangerous and strong and would give anyone a hard and tough fight.
I’m not sure Tyson looked right – and he will be pissed off with me saying this – but I don’t think he looked right.
It was important for him to do all the press things and the gala dinner before but he should have just popped into that, had his dinner and gone. But Ngannou and all the other fighters did the same. Hindsight is useless, it is gone and done and finished, you cannot turn back the clock.
We all give our views and opinions but Tyson never looks for excuses. The next fight is a huge fight, for all four of the belts, and he needs to decide when that can happen.”
Much of the pre-fight talk was dominated by the signed undisputed clash with Oleksandr Usyk, originally planned for December 23. That date has now been ruled out by Warren, who insists that fight is still next, but will now be happening in 2024.