Former undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou has been backed to rematch unbeaten WBC heavyweight boxing titleholder, Tyson Fury in the future – according to a Top Rank exec, who claims the Cameroonian’s performance against the latter back in October “earned” him a re-run with the Morecambe native.
Ngannou, a former undisputed heavyweight champion under the UFC banner, put pen to paper on a multi-fight deal with the PFL (Professional Fighters League) at the beginning of the year, following his departure from the Dana White-led organization.
Francis Ngannou backed to fight Tyson Fury again
Yet to make good on a debut with the North American-based mixed martial arts promotion, Ngannou made a professional boxing debut back in October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, headlining a pay-per-view card in the Middle East – in an eventual split decision loss to Fury, with many pundits and critics calling the result dubious and controversial.
And maintaining he would fight Fury again in the future in a potential boxing rematch, Batié native, Ngannou has been backed to do just that – according to Top Rank boss, Todd DuBoef – through his October display in Saudi Arabia.
“That’s an earned ability to get the rematch,” Todd DuBoef told Sky Sports. “He (Francis Ngannou) earned that. I think Tyson (Fury) is regretful. He blamed himself. He thought he had an off night. He said, ‘I took it lightly, it was all one me.’ Didn’t point fingers, which was good.”
“Ngannou outperformed anybody’s expectation and as a result of that, you have all the components to say, hey, I want to see this again and that creates and warrants a rematch,” DuBoef continued.
Booking his own return to the squared circle before the end of this year, Fury will take on Ukrainian favorite and unbeaten world champion, Oleksandr Usyk in the Middle East in a long-anticipated heavyweight title unification bout in February – with the event billed as ‘Ring of Fire’.
Who wins in a future rematch: Francis Ngannou or Tyson Fury?