Francis Ngannou looks back on his historic boxing match with Tyson Fury
Three years ago, Francis Ngannou took part in arguably the most high-profile fight of his combat sports career when he faced Tyson Fury in a controversial boxing match that he now looks upon with fondness.
The Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury boxing match was a fight no one believed possible until it was booked. Once it was, no one believed that 'The Predator' stood much of a chance, but his efforts proved them wrong in a spectacular way. Now, years later, he is reliving that historic moment.
Francis Ngannou reminisces over his bout with Tyson Fury
On Oct. 28, 2026, Francis Ngannou stepped inside the squared circle for a fight everyone had been absolutely positive he would never land. It was a boxing match with Tyson Fury, one of the then biggest names in heavyweight boxing, and it represented a crossover matchup between a former UFC champion and boxing great not seen since Conor McGregor had faced Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Aug. 26, 2017. At the time, 'The Predator's' departure from the UFC had been a bitter one, earning him Dana White's enmity. Many had opined that Ngannou had miscalculated. Negotiations with ONE Championship went nowhere, just like his talks with Bellator.
The prevailing opinion was that Ngannou had ruined his career for the illusion of freedom, as he wanted to box and fight in MMA. The possibility was dismissed by everyone until Ngannou signed with the PFL and actually landed a boxing match with Fury. Now, three years afterward, he has taken to social media to celebrate what he had made possible.
"Three years ago today, we kicked off Riyadh Season with one of the most cinematic nights in boxing history. Battle of the Baddest: what a night, what an atmosphere, and what an unforgettable experience sharing the ring with Tyson Fury that night!"
Even then, many, including White, had dismissed the fight as a circus show. The expectation was that Ngannou was getting a big payday to get clowned and outclassed in the ring. Yet, come fight night, he proved to be a much trickier opponent for Fury than anyone had foreseen. Due to his MMA experience and physical strength, Ngannou was better in the clinch and neutralized Fury's attempts to drain his gas tank by leaning on him. In round three, Ngannou had the most shocking moment of the fight, knocking Fury down with a check left hook.
Unfortunately, in the end, Fury was handed a split-decision win in one of the most controversial results of 2023. Undeterred, the ex-UFC heavyweight champion returned to boxing the following year in a far less successful outing, as he was knocked out within two rounds by Anthony Joshua. He has since left boxing, for now, and made a triumphant return to MMA with two knockouts under the PFL and MVP banners, having beaten Renan Ferreira at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants, and Philipe Lins at MVP MMA: Rousey vs. Carano.
