Tyson Fury explains why he's 'sad' that Mike Tyson is training Francis Ngannou

Ahead of Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou, 'The Gypsy King' has made a surprising admission.

The WBC heavyweight champion is currently slated to return to the ring in October opposite 'The Predator'. For Fury, the boxing match will be his first since a December knockout win against Derek Chisora. Meanwhile, the fight will be Ngannou's boxing debut.

To help with the move, the former UFC champion has enlisted the help of 'Iron Mike'. A longtime friend of Ngannou, Tyson has joined Eric Nicksick and others coaching Ngannou. While mostly a promotional tool, it is a bit saddening to the heavyweight champion.

In a recent interview, Tyson Fury was asked about Mike Tyson joining Francis Ngannou's team. There, he admitted that he was sad by the move, especially considering he was named after the boxing legend.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Fury revealed:

“I think that it’s sad, actually. The man that I am named after, a legend, has to go against me and then come out as a loser, having lost to a man who was named after him. I think that it’s sad and I think that he should be in my corner, not the opposing corner, but business is business and I understand that it’s strictly business... They've all got a plan until they get smacked in the mouth."

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Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou: Mike Tyson previews fight

Mike Tyson believes Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou will be closer than everyone expects.

While 'The Gypsy King' doesn't believe the legend's involvement matters, the proof is in the pudding. Since Tyson became involved in the fight, there's been a groundswell of interest in the bout.

Furthermore, 'The Predator' is seemingly improving quickly. Since joining Ngannou's camp, Tyson has released several video clips of the former UFC champion training with him. In the videos, it's clear that the MMA fighter is working as hard as he possibly can.

It's because of that effort that Mike Tyson is confident that Francis Ngannou will be competitive with Tyson Fury. In a recent interview with Eurosport, 'Iron Mike' opined:

"I think he's going to do very well, yes. It's all experience in fighting, he just has to remember not to use his feet, which he never really did actually. He's a real power puncher, really fast for a big guy at 260 [pounds]. I think he's going to do better than most people believe."