Former rival Ciryl Gane supports Francis Ngannou in his upcoming boxing match against Tyson Fury, acknowledging Ngannou’s power and the potential for a surprising outcome.
Ciryl Gane has expressed support for Francis Ngannou, his former nemesis, who is set to step into the ring with Tyson Fury in a highly anticipated boxing match. Despite admitting that the odds seem to favor Fury on paper, Gane believes that Ngannou’s undeniable strength could be pivotal during the bout. “On-paper, I’m going to say Tyson Fury. But everybody knows the power of Francis, and everything is possible during the fight, so you never know,” Gane shared in a disclosure. He revealed that he will be rooting for Francis in the upcoming fight, hoping to see a surprising outcome.
Ngannou, who is 37 years old, will face 35-year-old Fury in a 10-round heavyweight boxing match taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 28. Although Fury’s WBC heavyweight title will not be on the line, both fighters’ histories will be affected by the match’s outcome. Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, has a chance to become the first boxer to mark a loss on Fury’s previously untarnished professional record.
The past relationship between Ngannou and Gane is a rather complicated one. They were originally teammates at MMA Factory in France, but they became adversaries when Gane sought Ngannou’s UFC heavyweight title in 2022 at UFC 270. Despite battling with a severe knee injury, Ngannou triumphed with a unanimous decision. This match eventually turned out to be Ngannou’s final appearance in UFC. He then relinquished the title in early 2023 and entered a remarkable partnership with the PFL. Although Gane and Ngannou’s past is laden with heated rivalry, Gane maintains a kind sentiment towards The Predator, rooting for him to defy expectations and stun viewers worldwide.
According to Gane, Ngannou still retains a significant threat as he possesses substantial power. He cites the example of the Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor match where McGregor performed remarkably well, emphasizing that surprises are possible. Gane stated, “You see in [Floyd] Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor, [McGregor] did very well. He did very well. You never know. I don’t know how much time he trained for this fight — I’m talking about Francis — but he can surprise the people, and it was his dream when he started. When he came to France, it was his dream to be a boxer and not an MMA fighter. So, maybe? We never know”. Gane firmly believes that even though Tyson Fury is the favorite, it is quite possible that we might witness a significant upset in this showdown.