The news was finally made official that WBC world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and former UFC fighter Francis Ngannou will be facing off in a boxing match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 28, and it’s fair to say reactions were mixed.
One of the first people to share their thoughts was Egis Klimas, manager of unified WBA, WBO and IBF champion Oleksandr Usyk, who has pushed hard to fight Fury in the first undisputed heavyweight fight in the four belt era.
Klimas reacted to ‘The Gypsy King’s fight announcement on Twitter, calling him ‘The biggest joke on the planet for sure.’
The biggest joke on the planet for sure https://t.co/GDomvq7pGJ
— Egis Klimas (@KlimasBoxing) July 11, 2023
While Fury’s side are calling the fight a ‘game changer’ many believe it’s more like an exhibition of the sort that Floyd Mayweather took against Connor McGregor. The difference there is that Mayweather had already beaten all comers in multiple weight divisions and was very much at the end of his career.
Klimas later reacted to Top Rank’s tweet announcing the fight and went a step further.
‘The biggest joke ever in boxing!!! I am sorry it’s not boxing it’s [a] circus. Tyson Fury [going] from positive person in boxing to negative joker in circus.’
The biggest joke ever in boxing!!! I am sorry it’s not boxing it’s circus @Tyson_Fury becoming from positive person in boxing to negative joker in circus https://t.co/VYeOwxq0dt
— Egis Klimas (@KlimasBoxing) July 11, 2023
Although Ngannou dominated in UFC and holds the world record for hardest ever punch, it seems unlikely to most that he will be able to lay a glove on the famously elusive Fury.
The bout is set to take place under boxing rules but as of yet there has been no confirmation on whether it will be a sanctioned fight that goes on official records.