Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou fight Saturday in a boxing match at the Kingdom Arena for the WBC Commemorative Riyadh Championship. Fury enters this fight with a 33-0-1 record that includes 24 knockouts. Ngannou will make his boxing debut with this fight.
Tyson Fury Betting Preview
Fury has won each of his last 6 fights, and he’s coming off a December win over Derek Chisora. Fury defended his belt for a third straight fight with a finish in the 10th round. Fury has produced finishes in four straight fights and has been dominant since that draw against Deontay Wilder almost five years ago. Fury is 35 years old, stands at 6’9”, has an 85-inch reach and an orthodox stance. Fury continues to show he’s a unique heavyweight who moves like a middleweight and has a quirky style that makes his opponent uncomfortable. Fury is always mixing up his stance, giving different looks, and has faster hands than you’d expect from a guy his size. Fury can box from the inside and outside, and he’s solid defensively that allows him to slip punches from some of the scarier boxers on the planet. We haven’t seen a boxer like Fury in this division, and his recent stretch is the best of his career. This will be Fury’s first career fight in Saudi Arabia.
Francis Ngannou Betting Preview
Ngannou is making his boxing debut with this bout. Ngannou was 17-3 in his MMA career, with 71 percent of this wins coming by knockout. Ngannou last fought at UFC 270 in January 2022, and it resulted in a decision win against Ciryl Gane. Ngannou improved his ground game over his career and has 4 career submission wins, but its stand up that buttered his bread. At 6’4” and with an 83-inch reach, Ngannou is one of the scarier strikers in the world, and his knockout mainly against Alistair Overeem six years ago is legendary. He showed against Jairzinho Rozenstruik he doesn’t need to land clean to drop somebody. Ngannou puts together his punches cleanly, throws accurate combinations and usually lands a strong overhand or a devastating uppercut. Ngannou is dropping anybody with a clean shot, it’s just that simple. It will be interesting to see how this translates to boxing, but at 37 years old, this feels a bit like a cash grab. Ngannou had issues with the UFC and has decided to chase the money fight in another sport. This will be Ngannou’s first career fight in Saudi Arabia.
H2H History
There’s no fight history between these 2 fighters.
Randy’s Free Pick
Ngannou has the raw striking power to land one shot and shock the world. It’s possible. However, it’s more than just power that goes into boxing, and Ngannou just doesn’t have enough training or experience in the sport to think he can step in the ring and beat one of the best boxers on the planet. Fury has faced powerful strikers before, and he survived. Fury’s movement, ability to change stances, patience, and variety of punches gives him a serious edge. We’ve seen MMA fighters transition to boxing, and it hasn’t gone well. Even with Ngannou being a scary presence, I don’t give him much chance in the ring. Give me Fury by stoppage to shave the juice.