Tyson Fury shared the ring with Francis Ngannou in the latter's professional boxing debut last October. While 'The Gypsy King' entered as a massive favorite, Ngannou was able to shock fans with a very strong performance. Despite losing the bout via split decision, many viewers felt that the former UFC heavyweight champion was the rightful winner.
Although he was expected to return to mixed martial arts following the bout, Ngannou's success has led to him booking a boxing match against Anthony Joshua. Speaking to Charlie Parsons of The Stomping Ground, Fury weighed in on the upcoming bout, stating:
"I don't know and I don't care, to be honest. I'm going to go... Whatever happens, happens. The best man will win on the night. They're heavyweight giants, aren't they, so anyone can win. Some good, brilliant fights, actually, on Friday. I'm looking forward to the bill, the whole bill."
Check out Tyson Fury's comments on Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou below (starting at the 13:24 mark):
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Ngannou is set to face Anthony Joshua in his second career boxing bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this weekend. Fury, meanwhile, is scheduled to face Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title on May 18th.
The highly-anticipated title bout has faced two setbacks after originally being set to December 23rd before being moved to February 17th as Fury recovered from his bout with 'The Predator'. It was once again delayed as the WBC heavyweight champion suffered a cut above his eye in sparring two weeks before the bout.
Tyson Fury believes Francis Ngannou should thank him
Francis Ngannou's decision to leave the UFC paid off in a major way as he signed a landmark deal with the PFL and has found plenty of financial success in boxing. Tyson Fury, who faced the former UFC heavyweight champion in his professional boxing debut, recently claimed 'The Predator' should thank him for the opportunity.
Speaking to Charlie Parsons of The Stomping Ground, 'The Gypsy King' stated:
"I'm not sure what people expected of the man before [our fight]. I know it was supposed to be like a 1,000 to 1 shot, and he was useless and he couldn't fight and all of that, but he proved everyone wrong, so fantastic for him. I put him on the map, made him a multi-millionaire, and now I'm making him even more money. So he needs to thank me. He needs to get on his knees and kiss my feet, doesn't he, for what I've done for him."
Check out Tyson Fury's comments on Francis Ngannou below (starting at the 12:52 mark):
While Ngannou earned a massive payday for his boxing match against Fury, he had already signed a historic free-agent deal with the PFL. Furthermore, several top-ranked heavyweights have expressed interest in facing 'The Predator' in his boxing debut before the bout with 'The Gypsy King' was announced.