Famed MMA journalist Ariel Helwani is reporting a fight between lineal heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury and lineal UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will be announced “very soon.”
Helwani tweeted the news on Friday afternoon with little other context. It is not currently known whether a boxing match, MMA fight, or hybrid rules match is currently being targeted.
A potential date is also unclear at this time, as well as whether a co-promote with the Professional Fighters’ League (PFL) is in the cards.
Tyson Fury x Francis Ngannou is expected to be announced very soon, per sources.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 7, 2023
News of a fight between Fury and Ngannou would send shockwaves through the MMA community, particularly on the eve of UFC 290, which is set to cap off an emotional International Fight Week 2023. UFC President Dana White, who had a very public falling out with his former heavyweight champion Ngannou over contract negotiations, has been vocal about his desire to make a fight between Fury and incumbent UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Brief History
Public speculation over a fight between Fury and Ngannou has been rampant ever since Ngannou defeated then-champion Stipe Miocic in their rematch to claim the UFC heavyweight championship back in March 2021. Rumors over a potential cross-sport super fight intensified when Fury brought Ngannou into the ring with him during his post-fight interview following a 10th-round knockout of Derek Chisora last December.
Fury not been shy about his desire to have a hybrid rules fight at some point in the future against an MMA heavyweight, and was featured alongside fellow British heavyweight Anthony Joshua as downloadable content in UFC 4. However, the boxing community has been equally as vocal about their desire to see Fury unify the WBC heavyweight title in a bout with unified heavyweight champion and Ring Magazine heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, though negotiations have stalled at every turn.
MMA Sucka will have more news on the subject as details continue to emerge in the coming days.
