Francis Ngannou impressed boxing analysts with his performance against Tyson Fury, with Lennox Lewis and Dan Hardy debating whether Ngannou should have won the fight, while Carl Frampton sided with Ngannou and believed he deserved the victory.
Francis Ngannou’s impressive boxing debut has garnered attention and praise from various experts in the combat sports world. During the post-fight show on TNT Sports, boxing analysts Lennox Lewis, Carl Frampton, and MMA veteran Dan Hardy discussed Ngannou’s remarkable performance against Tyson Fury. Despite Fury narrowly securing a split decision victory over the former UFC champion, Frampton broke ranks with his fellow analysts, siding with Ngannou.
Expressing his dissenting opinion, Frampton stated, “I thought that Francis Ngannou won that fight. At times, I couldn’t believe what I was watching.” He emphasized that people had underestimated Ngannou, who was competing in his first boxing match against the heavyweight champion of the world. Frampton believed that Fury had perhaps overlooked Ngannou, who impressed with his awkward style and beautiful boxing.
Ngannou’s most significant moment in the fight arrived in Round 3 when he landed a looping left hand that dropped Fury to the canvas. Despite exhibiting a spirited performance for the remainder of the bout, Ngannou only managed to secure one score of 95-94 on the judges’ cards. In contrast, Fury claimed victory with scores of 96-93 and 95-94.
The differing viewpoints of Lewis and Hardy further added to the debate. Lewis believed that Fury had emerged as the winner, citing his active punch output and calculated jab. He perceived Ngannou’s shot as a result of Fury’s lack of balance and readiness for the fight. On the other hand, Hardy supported Ngannou’s cause, expressing disappointment in the outcome. He disagreed with Lewis, emphasizing the limited number of clean shots landed by Fury and lauding Ngannou’s performance.
In this highly contentious matchup, opinions on the outcome of the Fury vs. Ngannou fight vary greatly. While Frampton and Hardy believe that Ngannou should have been awarded the victory, Lewis maintains that Fury was the deserving winner. Only time will tell whether this bout will be debated and analyzed further within the boxing community.