The lineal heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury, is set to lock horns with the former UFC heavyweight champ, Francis Ngannou, in a showdown that promises fireworks.
The much-awaited bout is marked on the calendar for October 28, 2023. The showdown of these two titanic fighters is slated to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Recently, the unveiling of the official fight poster was done by combat sports journalist Michael Benson on Twitter. However, the response wasn't quite what one might expect. Instead of garnering excitement, the poster faced a barrage of criticism for its peculiar and, some might say, cartoonish depiction of the fighters.
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The feedback on Twitter was swift and unapologetically candid, and fans wasted no time in expressing their views on the poster. One fan humorously compared Francis Ngannou's appearance to that of Chisora:
"Francis looks like chisora in this."
While another quipped that the poster accurately mirrored the nature of the fight as a comedic spectacle:
"The poster describes the fight perfectly for what it is. A comedy show."
Additional reactions pointed out the exaggerated muscularity of Tyson Fury in the poster, with one fan noting that the champion didn't quite resemble his real-life self:
"Tyson fury isn’t this jacked."
Another Twitter user suggested that the poster's stylized approach might be fitting for a cartoon or a video game, implying that it deviated from the essence of a genuine competitive match:
"Definitely cartoon/gamer type coz it ain’t a real fight now is it, people out gonna pay Ppv for this exhibition.👀😂"
While some fans enjoyed the poster's playful charm, others were quick to express their skepticism, labeling it as:
"Probably the worst fight poster ever.😂"
Legendary trainer Teddy Atlas raises concerns over Francis Ngannou's conduct ahead of Tyson Fury fight
As Francis Ngannou prepares for his highly anticipated boxing debut against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, a shadow of controversy has emerged surrounding his approach to training and interactions with trainers.
Renowned trainer Teddy Atlas recently shed light on his experience with Ngannou's camp and expressed his disappointment over what he perceived as a lack of transparency and decency.
In a recent episode of his podcast, THE FIGHT, Teddy Atlas revealed that Ngannou's team had initially approached him for training. Atlas, who has trained legendary fighters like Michael Moorer and Barry McGuigan, outlined his criteria for taking on fighters, emphasizing the significance of good character and coachability.
However, following a meeting with 'Predator', Atlas was surprised to learn that he was no longer being considered for training. It came to his attention that Mike Tyson was set to step in as Ngannou's trainer. Atlas expressed his disappointment at the lack of transparency from Ngannou's camp, remarking:
"Why won’t you be up front with me? It just don’t feel good... Can’t we be better as people? I know money is money and that’s important, but isn’t it important to treat people right? Isn’t it important to keep your word? Isn't it important to just... being decent with your fellow human being."
Check out Teddy Atlas' comments below [3:40 mark]: