Tyson Fury, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers ever, has had a significant impact in both amateur and professional boxing. In October 2023, he faced MMA legend and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in Ngannou’s professional boxing debut.
During their non-title bout, Ngannou knocked Fury down in the third round. However, Fury managed to recover, go the full 10 rounds, and was ultimately awarded a split decision win with scores of 94-95, 96-93, and 95-94. This decision was controversial, with some believing Fury deserved the win while others felt Ngannou was robbed.
Had Ngannou won against Fury, either by knockout or on the scorecards, the boxing would have dramatically changed. Fury, who was the WBC and lineal heavyweight champion, would likely have faced an immediate rematch with Ngannou, this time with the titles on the line.
The calls for an immediate rematch and title shot for Ngannou would have been much stronger, and a knockout victory for Ngannou would have almost guaranteed him a title fight against Fury.
This hypothetical scenario would have marked the first defeat in Fury’s professional boxing career, tarnishing his unbeaten record of 34 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw. Ngannou’s victory would have set the stage for a rematch where he could potentially win again and then face Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title, all within his first three professional boxing matches.
However, in reality, Ngannou’s second professional boxing match was against Anthony Joshua in March 2024, where he suffered a second-round knockout. This defeat, his first KO/TKO loss in any combat sports competition, impacted his reputation for durability. Joshua is now positioned to fight the winner of the upcoming Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk bout or potentially another contender in the interim.
Ngannou, despite his loss, has expressed his intention to continue boxing and may debut in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) against heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira. Ngannou also faced personal challenges, including a personal tragedy in April 2024.
Fury, on the other hand, has faced criticism regarding his commitment to boxing following his performance against Ngannou. Critics believe Usyk has the psychological upper hand going into their fight. If Fury had lost to Ngannou, his career trajectory could have been very different, possibly leading to his retirement instead of a fight for the undisputed title.
Currently, Fury holds the WBC and lineal heavyweight titles, while Usyk possesses the WBA (Super), WBO, IBF, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles. Their highly anticipated clash, which will crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion since April 2000, is set to take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 18, 2024.
