Tyson Fury’s ‘Battle of the Baddest’ with former MMA champion Francis Ngannou was his first contest in almost a year – and it showed.
The WBC World Heavyweight Champion was not as mobile nor busy as usual, and was knocked down in the third round by boxing debutant Ngannou.
Though his manager has offered some mitigating reasons, the man himself has said it was his toughest fight in a decade.
The contest ended with a split decision points win in Fury’s favour, who was supposed to be confirming a date for his historic undisputed match with Oleksandr Usyk in the ring afterward.
Instead, it was suggested the fight would happen next year sometime once Fury has recovered from the ten-round battle with Ngannou.
Ahead of the fight, Fury called upon the services of Tom Aspinall, a rising heavyweight MMA star, for sparring. Speaking to BBTV Boxing, he shared his shock at the result.
“A minute into the fight I was like Ngannou’s absolutely lost here, he doesn’t know what to do. But he shocked me so much. I thought he’d go in wading in with wild punches, gassing, missing, and Tyson would have outboxed him.”
Aspinall then reiterated his disbelief at the performance and added that he thought Fury lost.
“I don’t know what happened, I’m lost for words. I’m friends with Tyson, I’ve known him a long time now. I don’t know how boxing is scored as much as MMA but I think Ngannou won the fight. I’m just lost for words, I don’t know how that happened.”
Aspinall is not alone in thinking Fury lost and, as a result, Ngannou is now a man with many options at heavyweight.