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Boxing: Heavyweight champion Fury to face MMA fighter Ngannou

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury (L) and former UFC Heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou. Frederic J. Brown, AFP Photo/ /Alberto Valdes, EPA-EFE/Composite Photo" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/07/11/20230711-fury.jpg"/><figcaption>WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury (L) and former UFC Heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou. Frederic J. Brown, AFP Photo/ /Alberto Valdes, <em>EPA-EFE/Composite Photo</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>LONDON - WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will fight mixed martial arts star Francis Ngannou in a boxing contest to decide &quot;the baddest man on the planet&quot; in Saudi Arabia on October 28.</p><p>Fury&#x27;s team said the fight in Riyadh will &quot;take place under the official rules of professional boxing, with three judges ringside adopting the 10-point must system&quot;.</p><p>The British boxer&#x27;s WBC title will not be on the line in the &quot;exhibition&quot; bout against former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou.</p><p>Fury&#x27;s last fight was in December when he stopped compatriot Derek Chisora inside 10 rounds but talks over an undisputed world title showdown against Oleksandr Usyk broke down earlier this year.</p><p>&quot;As soon as that bell goes, it&#x27;ll be bombs away. This guy is supposed to be the hardest puncher in the world, but let&#x27;s see how he reacts when he gets hit by the Big GK,&quot; Fury, nicknamed the Gypsy King, said.</p><p>&quot;I can&#x27;t wait to get back out there under the lights. I&#x27;m looking forward to showing the world that the Gypsy King is the greatest fighter of his generation in an epic battle with another master of his craft.&quot;</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b4F0YBnVdno?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>There will be three ringside judges and they will follow the scoring criteria used in all official boxing bouts, although it is unclear how many rounds are scheduled.</p><p>Ngannou has no professional record in boxing but the 36-year-old Cameroonian-French fighter insisted it was a dream to step into the ring with Fury.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;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,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;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.&quot;</p><p>While Usyk defends his WBA, IBF and WBO crowns against Fury&#x27;s promotional stablemate Daniel Dubois next month, his fellow world champion is embarking on a fascinating cross-code clash.</p><p>The WBC said it would not be involved in the fight, with Fury given &quot;special permission&quot; for a non-title bout as he has no mandatory challenger.</p><p>Ngannou built a reputation as a formidable puncher on his way to becoming UFC heavyweight champion, a title he held until leaving in January after an acrimonious relationship with the organization&#x27;s president Dana White.</p><p>He has won 17 of his 20 professional MMA fights, with 12 knockouts.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/02/23/boxing-pacquiao-conqueror-horn-hangs-up-gloves">Boxing: Pacquiao conqueror Horn hangs up gloves</a></li></ul><p>MMA stars including Conor McGregor, Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley have struggled to make the transition to the boxing ring in the past.</p><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WSCG5rGyRb0?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The British boxer's WBC title will not be on the line in the 'exhibition' bout against former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou.