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The WBC has no plans to strip Tyson Fury for fighting Francis Ngannou.
Earlier today, 'The Gypsy King' and 'The Predator' announced their fight which is slated for October. The contest has been in the works for a while and is now set to take place in Saudi Arabia. While many are happy for the former UFC champion, there are a lot of questions surrounding the fight.
As of now, a lot of those details haven't been revealed either. Prior to the contest, Eddie Hearn revealed that the contest could be an exhibition. In a statement released announcing the fight today, it was once again not mentioned if the bout would be a professional one.
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Regardless of exhibition vs. professional, both have promised to try and score a knockout win in October. Beyond the fight itself, many fans also questioned if Tyson Fury would be stripped of his WBC heavyweight title. He last defended the gold in December, against Derek Chisora.
However, that is not the case. As first reported by TalkSport's Michael Benson, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman has revealed that Fury won't be stripped of his heavyweight title. The councilman stated that the British star has been given special clearance for the fight.
Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou: Opening Betting Odds
The opening betting odds for Tyson Fury's return naturally favor 'The Gpysy King'.
The WBC Heavyweight Champion last fought in December, scoring a knockout win over Derek Chisora. That was his third victory over 'Del Boy', and was supposed to be a tease for a clash with Oleksandr Usyk. Sadly, the fight didn't come to fruition due to financial demands.
After that clash fell apart, the champion began talks with 'The Predator'. Much like Fury, Francis Ngannou has had trouble scheduling a return fight. He last fought last January, defeating Ciryl Gane by unanimous decision. That wound up being the final win of his UFC career.
In March, the heavyweight left the promotion to begin a boxing career. In October, Ngannou will get his first boxing match, and it's at the top-level, as he faces Tyson Fury. Sadly for the former UFC champion, many aren't giving him a shot.
The opening odds for the contest have been released, and show the heavyweight champion as a massive -1500 betting favorite. Meanwhile, Ngannou is sitting as a +700 underdog for his boxing debut. Obviously, the odds themselves will change as the fight draws near.
