Tyson Fury will welcome former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Francis Ngannou, into the sport of boxing with a ten-round professional contest in Saudi Arabia on October 28.
The mega-money bout has split boxing fans, most of whom are disappointed that the WBC World Heavyweight title in Fury’s possession likely won’t be defended this year.
Ngannou has been given little chance by fans, pundits and fighters alike. His proven power is not to be underestimated, but whether or not it transfers fully into boxing – or if he can pin Fury down to land one – is up for debate.
Still, the spectacle will draw huge attention from fans of both boxing and MMA, and will undoubtedly be one of the most-discussed combat sports events of the year.
With that comes scrutiny on drug testing, especially given the recent climate in the sport where it seems more positive tests are being flagged and there is massive controversy about how those results are then handled.
Both Fury and Ngannou have been enrolled with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency since August 2 for this bout – as confirmed by its website – which will run alongside any local governing body testing.
VADA has often been referred to as ‘the gold standard’ of testing in the sport, and had been responsible for identifying banned substances in fighters including Conor Benn and Dillian Whyte of late.
Back in 2016, Fury failed a VADA test for cocaine at the beginning of a battle with addiction and mental health issues. He returned to the sport two years later to mount a sensational heavyweight title comeback, dethroning long-reigning champion Deontay Wilder for the WBC belt.