Dubai: Tyson Fury has announced that he will face former UFC champion Francis Ngannou on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. There has been talk of a crossover fight between Ngannou and Fury ever since the two entered the ring together following Fury's knockout victory over Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium in April of last year. The three judges seated ringside will use a 10-point scoring system to decide who is the "Baddest Man on the Planet" during the contest. However, by confronting each other in the middle of the ring and starting a fight, each fighter vows to deliver a brutal knockout victory.

Fury said, "As soon as that bell goes, it'll be bombs away! This guy is supposed to be the hardest puncher in the world, but let's see how he reacts when he gets hit by the Big GK. "I can't wait to get back out there under the lights. I'm looking forward to showing the world that The Gipsy King is the greatest fighter of his generation in an epic battle with another master of his craft. "Francis looked tough when he jumped in the ring after the Whyte fight, but there is no one tougher than me, and you'll all see that in devastating fashion on October 28.

"I'd like to thank my promoters, Frank Warren and Bob Arum, my manager, Spencer Brown, and the guys at Riyadh Season for making this incredible event possible. It's going to be a fight for the ages. Get up!" Following a convincing victory over Derek Chisora in December of last year, where a stoppage in the tenth round resulted in a third successful defence of his WBC world title, Fury returns to the ring. Ngannou said, "I've been waiting to meet Tyson in the ring for the past three years. My dream was always to box, and to box the best. "After becoming the undisputed MMA heavyweight champion, this is my opportunity to make that dream come true and cement my position as the baddest man on the planet. "I'd like to thank Riyadh Season and my team at 3Point0 Labs for helping put this event together.

All I will say to Tyson for now is he better dance in that ring because if I touch him, he's going to sleep". Ngannou has had time to get ready for his fight after he left the UFC at the end of his contract and signed an unprecedented mega-deal as a global strategic partner with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and their Super Fights Division in 2023, which is co-leading the MMA world.

Published in The Daily National Courier, July, 13 2023

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