Despite losing by a narrow decision, Francis Ngannou‘s professional boxing debut against Tyson Fury was incredibly impressive, with many in the combat sports world acknowledging his skill and potential.
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou put on a memorable performance during his professional boxing debut against Tyson Fury. While Fury ultimately won by a split decision, Ngannou’s remarkable showing had the combat sports world buzzing. The reactions poured in from various fighters and personalities in the MMA community.
Many were pleasantly surprised by Ngannou’s performance. Sean Strickland tweeted, “Man I never thought I’d say this but Francis is in this!!!! LFG!!!! TYSON LOOKS WINDED IN THE 3RD AND HES REACHING…..” Terrance McKinney also expressed his excitement, exclaiming, “Oh shit Francis with the knock down.” Jalin Turner added, “Let’s gooooo win or lose Frances is making a big statement right now. What a fight!!!”
However, some questioned whether Fury took Ngannou seriously enough. Herbert Burns noted, “Doesn’t seem like Fury took Ngannou seriously enough, he was not expecting this hard of a fight.” Darren Till wondered when the speculations about Fury’s preparation would begin, tweeting, “Wonder when the ‘Tyson hasn’t took this serious, or ‘hasn’t trained for it’ shouts are gonna start?”
The thrilling matchup also sparked discussions about the prowess of MMA fighters in the boxing ring. Jan Blachowicz asserted, “MMA is the King of all sports,” while Jalin Turner called on boxers to give MMA fighters the respect they deserve. Derek Brunson praised Ngannou, stating that the Professional Fighters League (PFL) had the greatest heavyweight in the world.
Despite the varied reactions, one sentiment echoed among many was a sense of disappointment and frustration. Renato Moicano expressed his discontent with the boxing world, tweeting, “I’m DONE WITH BOXING THE MOST CORRUPT SPORTS IN THE FUCKING WORLD… absolutely bullshit… That’s way I will never pay a ppv again….” Nathan Diaz accused the boxing commentary of bias and commented on Fury’s loss.
In conclusion, Ngannou’s boxing debut against Fury garnered tremendous attention and admiration from the MMA community. While the outcome favored the experienced Fury, Ngannou left a lasting impression and sparked conversations about the crossover potential between MMA and boxing. Many expressed excitement, while others voiced disappointment in the sport of boxing itself.