MMA heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is set to face boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in a crossover boxing match, with former UFC champion Georges St-Pierre expressing cautious optimism for Ngannou, despite acknowledging that the odds favor Fury in the boxing rules bout.
Georges St-Pierre has expressed cautious optimism about Francis Ngannou’s imminent crossover boxing match with Tyson Fury. Lineal MMA heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is scheduled to face lineal boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on Oct. 28 in Saudi Arabia. This is a fight Ngannou had to depart from the UFC to materialize, a choice that led to much ridicule towards the former heavyweight champion previously. However, with the match now secured, St-Pierre has expressed his happiness for Ngannou.
While discussing the upcoming match with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, St-Pierre expressed mixed feelings. He was glad for Ngannou’s potential earnings from the crossover match, which he estimated to be significantly higher than what he made from all his UFC fights. Nonetheless, St-Pierre acknowledged the inherent challenges considering that Ngannou is crossing over to another sport to fight against the reigning champion. Despite the odds not being in Ngannou’s favor, St-Pierre expressed his unwavering support for him, emphasizing that an unexpected big punch could alter the course of the match.
Although the financial details of the match remain undisclosed, it’s anticipated that “The Predator” Ngannou will earn more than he did as the UFC heavyweight champion. Such prospects, however, are not without their drawbacks. The forthcoming match will be governed by boxing rules, which clearly favors Fury. Betting trends, for instance, have Fury as a -1000 favorite over Ngannou. Still, St-Pierre opined that Ngannou’s victory is not entirely defined by winning the match. Instead, an impressive performance, regardless of the outcome, might be enough.
St-Pierre wished Ngannou victory and voiced his belief that if Ngannou gives an impressive display against Fury, demonstrates good skills, looks good, and avoids too much brain damage, the encounter could be beneficial for him. However, St-Pierre also acknowledged the unpredictability of the match. Lastly, he added that if the scenario were reversed, he believes that Fury would be in a disadvantageous position in MMA compared to Ngannou in boxing, underlining Ngannou’s resilience.