Francis Ngannou started his journey in the UFC and went on to become the heavyweight champion. But destiny had a different plan for the Cameroonian-French MMA fighter. He left UFC post his clash with the UFC president Dana White. ‘The Predator’ went ahead and signed a deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL). Ngannou grabbed the big opportunity to fight Tyson Fury in a boxing match billed as the ‘Battle of the Baddest’. The fight took place on October 28th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and resulted in a controversial split-decision victory for ‘The Gypsy King’.
The bout was an absolute spectacle that brought many famous A-listers under the same roof. The list included the likes of football legend Cristiano Ronaldo and the famous rapper Eminem. No doubt the star-studded gathering was a treat to fans’ eyes, but the fight results left the fans divided. The NBA legend LeBron James, Tristan Tate (brother of Andrew Tate), and Nate Diaz took to Twitter to express their disappointment post-fight.
‘The Predator’ almost pulled of an impressive victory against ‘The Gypsy King’ in the boxing match. He knocked down Fury in the third round of the fight. Many fans and experts believe that Ngannou gave a tough time to Fury and did enough to win the fight. But the judges had a different opinion and ruled the match in Fury’s favor.
Tristan Tate took to Twitter and expressed how hooked he was to the fight but how he is not content with the result.
“Francis Ngannou is a warrior. This build-up has been very much like the plot of Rocky 1 and I’ve enjoyed seeing it. My prediction though is simple, just like the plot of Rocky 1 the heavyweight champ wins. Credit to both men but nobody beats The Gypsy King.”
Francis Ngannou is a warrior.
This build up has been very much like the plot of Rocky 1 and I’ve enjoyed seeing it.
My prediction though is simple, just like the plot of Rocky 1 the heavyweight champ wins.
Credit to both men but nobody beats The Gypsy King.
— Tristan Tate (@TateTheTalisman) October 28, 2023
The NBA legend Lebron James took to Twitter to express his disappointment with the results. He also laid out the reason why he doesn’t watch boxing.
“Exactly why i don’t watch boxing! C’mon man! “
Exactly why i don’t watch boxing! C’mon man! 🤦🏾♂️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 28, 2023
The American professional mixed martial artist Nate Diaz shared his take on the fight result and called it biased.
“Tyson fury lost and the boxing commentary biased af dumbasses they need to learn how to box ..”
Tyson fury lost and the boxing commentary biased af dumbasses they need to learn how to box ..
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) October 28, 2023
How much money did Francis Ngannou and Tyson Fury make?
Francis Ngannou’s last UFC fight was against Ciryl Gane in which he defended the UFC heavyweight title by defeating Gane and earned around $600K. But in Fury vs. Ngannou bout, he earned around $10 million, while Fury took home a whopping fight purse of $50 million.
Ngannou who has impressed his fans with his performance has faced many hardships in his life. From his school days in Africa to his chase to get his spot in the UFC, the fighter remained consistent and committed to his sport. It is interesting to see that despite the hardships, his fighter’s spirit kept him going and led him to where he is now. From rags to riches, his legacy speaks volumes and is celebrated by fans worldwide.
After such a performance, he will surely get more opportunities going forward. Fans around the world are excited to see what he does next in his career and his upcoming matches.