Having the heavyweight boxing champion fight the UFC 265-pound titleholder under boxing rules in UFC gloves is the kind of goofy gimmick match you would expect to find at WCW Starrcade or some other pro wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event.
Who would like to see me fight this beast boxing rules @ufc gloves?@danawhite @francis_ngannou pic.twitter.com/xONNoT8NzR
— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) January 6, 2022
“Who would like to see me fight this beast, boxing rules UFC gloves?” Tyson Fury wrote on Twitter, tagging Francis Ngannou and UFC President Dana White.
It’s about as dumb as NBA icon Michael Jordan crossing over to MLB to play for Chicago White Sox but then asking opposing teams to use basketballs instead of baseballs. Look, I’m not saying I wouldn’t watch it, I’m just saying it’s dumb.
So yes, I would probably tune in for a Fury vs. Ngannou exhibition bout. Fury is the reigning WBC champion while Ngannou wears the UFC heavyweight crown. “The Predator” is scheduled to face interim champion Ciryl Gane to unify the titles at UFC 270 later this month in Anaheim.
As for Fury, no stranger to sparring UFC fighters, he’s expected to face mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte later this year. That said, a dispute over their purse split could instead send “The Gypsy King” into battle against Andy Ruiz Jr. or Robert Helenius.
Wearing boxing gloves (I hope).