Tyson Fury warned he "won't wake up" if Francis Ngannou lands biggest punch

29 August 2023 , 10:56

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Tyson Fury warned he "won't wake up" if Francis Ngannou lands biggest punch

Tyson Fury has been warned he will "not wake up" if Francis Ngannou lands a clean punch in their boxing fight.

Ngannou looks to pull off the impossible by handing heavyweight champion Fury his first professional loss when they fight on October 28 in Saudi Arabia. Former UFC champion Ngannou, who is making his boxing debut on the night, is ineligible to compete for Fury's WBC world title as he is unranked by the organisation.

Facing a knockout artist is nothing new for Fury as he's shared the ring with Deontay Wilder on three occasions, but the Brit has been warned that Ngannou possesses a different kind of power. UFC great Kamaru Usman told TMZ about his close friend: "Obviously, Francis is not a full-time boxer, so it's not going to be different."

"The mechanics are going to be a little bit different but the one thing Francis has, God has blessed him with power. If he touches your head anywhere in this radius... it does not matter. If [Francis] touches you, you might not wake up, so I give him that chance for sure."

Who wins on October 29 - Tyson Fury or Francis Ngannou? Let us know your prediction in the comments section below

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The fight will take place under traditional Queensbury rules as it's set for 10 three-minute rounds. A winner will be declared as the bout will go on both Fury and Ngannou's professional records. Ngannou hasn't fought since defending his UFC heavyweight title 18 months ago whilst Fury was in action last December against Derek Chisora.

Usman admitted that it's unlikely Ngannou will be able to out-box Fury and win a decision, adding: "When you're talking about a drawn-out 12-round boxing match on paper, I don't think Francis is as skilled or experienced to win that fight, but Francis has a great equaliser, and that is God-given power. If he touches you, you will go to sleep."

"If you haven't noticed it by now, Francis is blessed with all the trials and tribulations that he's gone through in his life, he is blessed to still be here standing right now, and to have a fight like this, of this magnitude, the biggest fight in the world. If they can promote this thing the right way, it's an amazing fight!"

Ngannou is unlikely to stick around in boxing after the fight as he is also hoping to make his PFL debut next year after signing with the promotion in January. The terms of his contract allow him to compete in the ring, something that he wasn't able to do whilst with the UFC for over seven years.

Harry Davies