Mixed martial arts star Francis Ngannou will have heavyweight legend Mike Tyson in his corner when he takes on current WBC champion Tyson Fury in a boxing ring in Saudi Arabia on October 28.
Ngannou and Tyson confirmed the partnership in a statement released Thursday by Riyadh Season, the annual entertainment and sports festival that kicks off this year with the Ngannou-Fury fight. “It’s no secret that I support Ngannou 100% in this face-off of champions,” Tyson, who will be involved in the build-up to the fight, said in the statement.
“He packs an extremely hard punch, and when he lands it’s game over. I look forward to working with Ngannou and helping him move from the octagon to the boxing ring,” explained the American, who nevertheless has a good relationship with the Briton, who also owes him his first name.
Ngannou has no professional boxing record, but the 36-year-old Cameroonian fighter earned a reputation as a fearsome puncher by becoming UFC heavyweight champion, a title he kept until his departure in January due to his acrimonious relationship with the organization’s president, Dana White, who was deemed not generous enough.
Ngannou, who has won 17 of his 20 professional UFC fights, including 12 by knockout, is expected to make more money in this fight against Fury than in his entire UFC career. According to him, bringing on Tyson “is one of the best decisions I can make. His experience and his boxing IQ will be important in refining my technique under his guidance in order to win this super-fight”, believes “The Predator”.
The WBC title of the undefeated Fury (33 wins, one draw) will not be challenged during this “exhibition” fight, which will take place according to the rules of professional boxing. The British boxer’s last fight was in December, when he stopped compatriot Derek Chisora in 10 rounds. Negotiations for a fight for the undisputed world heavyweight title against Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk broke down earlier this year.