Boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will fight against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Promotional companies Queensberry, Top Rank and GIMIK Fight Promotions, along with the state-sponsored Riyadh Season, collaborated to host the fight in the capital city.
As of now, the specific details, such as the number of rounds and whether Fury's WBC heavyweight title will be on the line, have yet to be officially confirmed.
https://twitter.com/MikeCoppinger/status/1678751195408506883
A long-awaited bout
On Tuesday, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman disclosed that Fury had obtained special permission to face Ngannou. The permission was given in the absence of an official challenger. According to Sulaiman, Fury has tried arranging bouts with other prominent fighters, but agreements are yet to be finalized.
Fury had also been negotiating for an April showdown with Usykâthe British boxer aimed to secure the undisputed heavyweight championship at London's Wembley Stadium. Unfortunately, the talks fell through in March.
https://twitter.com/bjpenndotcom/status/1678769615831453698
Fury expressed his eagerness to "get back out there under the lights" in a statement about the upcoming match.
"I'm looking forward to showing the world that The Gypsy King is the greatest fighter of his generation in an epic battle with another master of his craft," the British boxer said.
https://twitter.com/francis_ngannou/status/1678768219480547330
Meanwhile, in another statement, Ngannou expressed a lifelong aspiration to pursue boxing and compete against the finest opponents.
"My dream was always to box, and to box the best," Ngannou said. "After becoming the undisputed MMA Heavyweight Champion, this is my opportunity to make that dream come true and cement my position as the baddest man on the planet."
https://twitter.com/espn/status/1678755481433567234
Fury and Ngannou had previously hinted at an encounter in 2022. They joined each other in the ring after Fury's sixth-round TKO triumph over Dillian Whyte in London, where he successfully defended his WBC heavyweight title.
Fury explicitly mentioned Ngannou's presence and declared his intention to face Ngannou in an exhibition bout. At the time, he offered flexibility regarding the setting, whether it be a boxing ring or an MMA cage.
https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/1678766773339062274
Ngannou's first fight since January 2022
On the other hand, Ngannou last competed in January 2022. He successfully defended his UFC heavyweight title with a unanimous-decision triumph over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270, which marked his final appearance in the Octagon.
Following unsuccessful contract extension negotiations with the UFC in January, Ngannou decided to part ways with the MMA organization.
https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/1678759262623768576
In those negotiations, Ngannou revealed that the UFC had rejected his requests, which included the provision of health insurance for all fighters. He additionally asked for athletes to be permitted to secure their own sponsorship agreements.
Having undergone surgery in March to mend his MCL and ACL, the 36-year-old subsequently signed an agreement with a rival promotion, the PFL. The deal allowed him to pursue both boxing and MMA opportunities.
https://twitter.com/MichaelBensonn/status/1679083531249545216
In a March conversation with ESPN's Brett Okamoto, Ngannou revealed that his immediate focus would be boxing before returning to MMA.
Ngannou explained that more boxing fights were underway, awaiting to finalize details. He expects to announce the fight dates and venues within the upcoming month or two.