It was one of the vital hanging sights in boxing for a while, Francis Ngannou dancing a jig of enjoyment whereas leaning over a floored and clearly dazed Tyson Fury.
For boxing purists, a catastrophe was unfolding.
Was a UFC fighter, in his first ever boxing bout, actually about to knock out a reigning world heavyweight champion?
Fury obtained up and wound up eking out a closely debated and unconvincing split-decision victory however Ngannou had made a dramatic entry into the world of boxing.
On Friday, the French-Cameroonian will get one other likelihood to upset the established order — and probably set himself up for one more shot at Fury.
Ngannou is again in Saudi Arabia for the second struggle of his crossover profession, this time towards one other Brit in former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
Much of the pre-fight narrative is presuming a win for Joshua that will put him in line to struggle Fury, supplied Fury — the WBC champion — beats Oleksandr Usyk — the WBA, IBF and WBO champion — of their rearranged May 18 bout that can crown the primary undisputed heavyweight champion since 2000.
Ngannou is prepared, although, to make extra headlines in his fast-track bid to change into a boxing champion so quickly after dominating the UFC scene.
“I’ve exposed myself — the guy who is coming next time (Joshua) knows what to deal with,” Ngannou mentioned after arriving in Riyadh.
“I’ve lost that element of surprise. So how can I surprise him again? What can I pull from my sleeve once again?”
Ngannou is giving off a cool and assured air. He could be a novice in elite boxing however the sport was his past love throughout a troublesome upbringing in Cameroon, and he mentioned it had been solely a matter of time earlier than returning to it.
“At the beginning, it was boxing. I wasn’t aware of MMA. And for more than a decade, it was all about boxing, dreaming about boxing,” he mentioned.
“And then, even when the opportunity came around (in UFC), it was for me an opportunity to shine, to be a world champion, and then potentially switch to do the crossover and go back to boxing. I feel like it was something that I needed, I had to fulfil, in order to be at peace with myself.”
Ngannou, 37, had a falling out with the UFC, and UFC President Dana White stripped him of his belt in January final 12 months. Within 5 months, Ngannou signed with the rival Professional Fighters League.
He hasn’t fought within the PFL but, although, whereas he focuses on boxing. He intends to proceed his MMA profession, however alongside — not as an alternative of — boxing.
The large query heading into the Ngannou-Joshua struggle — the newest high-profile boxing event in what’s quickly changing into the game’s new residence in Saudi Arabia — is that this: Did Fury merely not put together nicely sufficient towards Ngannou, considering he could be an easy-beat however as an alternative discovering himself sprawled on the canvas within the third spherical of a struggle that unexpectedly went the space? Or is Ngannou really the actual deal and a pure in all types of pugilism?
The reply ought to come on Friday within the newest struggle of Joshua’s journey again to relevance after back-to-back losses to Usyk noticed him lose his titles and go away his profession at a crossroads.
He has received three straight fights since then, however none of them have been towards elite opponents. A fifth-round stoppage of Otto Wallin in Riyadh in December was one thing of a throwback efficiency, displaying his robust jab after which his famend energy, and got here after underwhelming victories over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius.
Ngannou guarantees to be a a lot harder problem and the prize is large, with Fury already calling out Joshua to be his subsequent opponent ought to he cope with Usyk.
“This is the fast road to undisputed,” mentioned Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, who’s already plotting a money-spinning Joshua-Fury struggle that he has didn’t safe quite a few instances over the past 5 years.
As for Joshua, he’s extra centered on the current.
“Francis is a hell of a fighter,” he mentioned, “strong, big puncher and a lot better boxer than we all thought he would ever be.”
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AP sports activities: https://apnews.com/sports
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
