Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou battle it out on Saturday, October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ahead of their 10-round boxing bout, British WBC and Lineal heavyweight champion and former UFC heavyweight titleholder and lineal champion of Cameroon, hosted a kickoff press conference in London. The fighters previewed their upcoming clash and met face-to-face.
Fury vs Ngannou marks the opening of this year’s Riyadh Season. The highly anticipated clash is set to be contested under the official rules of professional boxing, with the three ringside judges using the 10-point must system.
Boxing fans in the United States can watch Fury vs Ngannou live on pay-per-view, with the broadcaster to be confirmed. In Australia, the fight is expected to air live on Kayo – subject to confirmation.
This is what Fury, Ngannou, as well as Hall of Fame promoters Bob Arum and Frank Warren had to say:
Tyson Fury
“I’m absolutely honored to be fighting Francis. He’s going to be a very, very good fighting man. You can see that he’s massive. He’s in shape. He’s going to be a real challenge. It’s something different for me. I’m used to boxing boxers and boxing the head off of somebody. But fighting an MMA guy who comes in with a different style is going to be different.”
“I can’t wait for it. It’s going to be an absolutely fantastic event. I’m honored that I’m a part of it, and I’m honored that Francis is a part of it. I’ve got to take my hat off to Francis for his story, where he’s come from, the fight, the grind, the determination and everything he’s put into it to get to where he is.”
“I will give Francis the respect that he deserves as a warrior, as a man and as a world champion. He’s a big man. He’s very strong and powerful. And it’s in my interest to give it the 100 percent training in camp and bring in the best sparring possible for me.”
Francis Ngannou
“I am very excited. I am very happy. I have been dreaming of becoming a boxer since I was a kid. And today, I’m not just going to box; I’m going to box the guy at the peak of the mountain. Usually, I would not pay attention to what is going around. But this thing is so big that I can’t stop thinking about it. History is going to be made.”
“It’s something that I didn’t see coming, even though my dream was always there. I always hoped for it to happen some day. But I didn’t see it lay out this way as one of the biggest events of the world. This is not just a fight. We are going to open up Riyadh Season. So, it is a cultural event that we are fighting on. And we’ll just make this fight bigger and bigger. Nobody knows exactly what’s going to happen, but what I do know for sure is that I’m going to be out there hunting for that guy’s head to take it off. I can guarantee that.”
Bob Arum
“This is a massive event around the world, but it’s particularly massive in the United States because MMA has become one of the most popular sports there and Francis Ngannou is a legend in that sport. And Tyson has performed so admirably in the United States over the past few years that he is a massive figure in sports. The fact that they’re both coming together is something that is creating tremendous interest in the United States.”
Frank Warren
“This is a massive event. This is the biggest event I’ve ever been involved with. It’s a crossover event. You’ve got a guy who is the best in his discipline. He is the heavyweight champion. And you’ve got the man, the lineal champion, Tyson Fury, who has done everything you can ask for in a fighter. He’s an undefeated champion, a brilliant boxer and fighter. He can box or he can stand and trade with you. This is going to be something special.”
In Australia, Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou airs live on October 29.
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