{"id":292275,"date":"2023-10-29T07:54:52","date_gmt":"2023-10-29T07:54:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/?p=292275"},"modified":"2023-10-29T07:54:52","modified_gmt":"2023-10-29T07:54:52","slug":"tyson-fury-makes-francis-ngannou-admission-as-ufc-star-shows-class-with-response","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/boxing\/tyson-fury-makes-francis-ngannou-admission-as-ufc-star-shows-class-with-response\/","title":{"rendered":"Tyson Fury makes Francis Ngannou admission as UFC star shows class with response"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Tyson Fury admitted that Francis Ngannou’s skills in the boxing ring caught him by surprise in Saturday night’s narrow split decision victory. Fury prevailed over the ex-UFC star despite being knocked down in the third round.<\/p>\n

While Ngannou entered the fight with a reputation for packing a powerful punch, Fury didn’t expect his opponent to be able to hang with him so closely in a contest where mixed martial arts actions were not allowed. He also confirmed there was no rematch clause for the fighters.<\/p>\n

“That definitely wasn’t in the script,” Fury said afterward. “He’s a lot better of a boxer than we thought he’d be. He’s a very awkward man, and he’s a good puncher, and I respect him a lot. He was very awkward, he wasn’t coming forward; he was waiting for me to throw my punches then looking to counter.<\/p>\n

“It’s a part of boxing [the knockdown], I got caught behind the head again. I got up and it was alright; I got back to my boxing. I don’t know how close it was, but I got the win and that’s what it is. I’ve been out the ring a long time again. You can see it in here \u2013 ring rust, everything. No excuses, though. He’s cut me across the eye there. It was a good, rough fight. Perfect.”<\/p>\n

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Fury’s next step is unclear following the tougher-than-expected fight, as he seemed non-committal about his title-unifying bout against Oleksandr Usyk taking place before the end of the year.<\/p>\n

Usyk, though, was on hand in Saudi Arabia and said: “We’re back in this ring, 23 December, thank you very much, I go to sleep.”<\/p>\n

Ngannou’s plans are also uncertain. He narrowly missed his opportunity to send shockwaves through the boxing world with a win over such a decorated fighter. Some fans on social media claimed judges should have awarded him the decision, though he opted to take the high road in that regard.<\/p>\n

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