Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou given key status update hours before fight

28 October 2023 , 17:17

973     0

Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou given key status update hours before fight

Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou's fight will go on both men's professional records, although Fury's world title won't be on the line.

Fury and Ngannou kick off Riyadh season tonight in Saudi Arabia but there were question marks as to whether their fight was an exhibition or professional bout. The British Boxing Board of Control [BBBofC] said the Saudi Arabia event was under its jurisdiction and the crossover fight was now appeared on their website's official schedule section.

"I'm happy because before it was going to be like a result on the night but not an official win or loss on the record. Now it makes things a bit tastier," Fury said. The Brit also previously claimed that BBBofC general secretary Robert Smith had told him the fight would go down as a professional fight and go on his record.

Who wins tonight - Tyson Fury or Francis Ngannou? Let us know your prediction in the comments section below

Fury has already signed to fight fellow heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed clash that could take place as soon as December 23. 'The Gypsy King' will first have to get out of his fight with Ngannou unscathed, as the former UFC champion has warned his rival that he won't be medically cleared to fight again this year after he's done with him.

Deontay Wilder offers advice to Manny Pacquiao's son ahead of latest fight

Ngannou is expected to make his return to MMA after tonight having signed a contract with No.2 promotion PFL at the beginning of the year. Fury has insisted there is no rematch clause for either man in his fight with Ngannou, whilst his undisputed clash against Usyk has a two-way rematch clause

"There's no rematch clause either way, as we stand today. If he knocks me out cold on Saturday night I'll have to be begging him like this, 'Please give me a rematch'. I hate rematches, rematch clauses have tied my career up for so long and cost me a lot of millions of dollars in court cases," Fury said on The MMA Hour.

"I always say we don't need a rematch, if the first fight is good then boom, participants would surely want a rematch. If it's a s*** fight then it's not deserving of a rematch. So I hate when champions do the clause, I know why it is because it's a double payday but they go into the fight and it's already announced 'There's a rematch clause.'"

Harry Davies