Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou preview: Top storylines, prediction

We're one day away from the biggest crossover fight in recent memory: World heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury welcomes former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou to the ring Saturday for a highly anticipated 10-round bout.

Fury and Ngannou will meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for what appears to be something between a professional fight and an exhibition match. Fury's WBC title isn't on the line, and it's unclear whether the result will go on their pro records. But Fury and Ngannou are both adamant they're taking it seriously.

Not quite sure what to expect when you order the pay-per-view? You've come to the right place. Let's take a look at the matchup from a few different angles.

Why is this fight happening?

Money. That's the quick answer.

Fury and Ngannou struck a lucrative deal with Saudi Arabia to host this fight as the kickoff to the kingdom's annual entertainment and sports festival. Both men are going to walk away a lot richer. Ngannou will make more money against Fury than he did in his entire UFC career, his manager said a few months ago.

Pushing for this fight was a no-brainer for Ngannou. He was actually interested in becoming a boxer before he discovered MMA. Of course, he's done well in MMA, winning the UFC heavyweight title in 2021 and defending it once. And he's still widely regarded as the best MMA heavyweight on the planet despite leaving the UFC earlier this year.

But again, Ngannou's lifelong dream was to box. And when one of the biggest stars in the sport is willing to fight you, you don't let that opportunity slip away.

As for Fury, it's a low-risk, high-reward matchup. He's expected to handle Ngannou with ease. After all, Fury is the best heavyweight in boxing, and Ngannou is 0-0. Fury could've fought fellow heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk or a boxing contender. But why not take this matchup against Ngannou when it's probably just as lucrative and a whole lot easier of a fight?

Does Ngannou have anything to lose?

So, this is a slightly tricky question.

Generally speaking, Ngannou has almost nothing to lose against Fury. He's already won by getting the fight, which not many people thought would happen. He's a huge underdog; winning would be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, upsets in combat sports history. The win would rival Buster Douglas' seemingly untouchable upset of Mike Tyson in 1990 - because, again, Ngannou isn't a boxer, and Fury is the best in the world.

As Ngannou's coach Eric Nicksick told theScore, they're "playing with house money."

Ngannou has a monumental, lucrative MMA deal with the PFL waiting for him. He'll return to MMA in 2024 no matter what. The Fury fight is basically a win-win for Ngannou.

Now, all of that said, a devastating knockout loss could damage Ngannou's reputation. He's lost three times in MMA but has never been finished. If Fury puts him to sleep in the early rounds, that'd be a bad visual that could follow the so-called baddest man on the planet to the PFL and beyond. You know how unforgiving social media, memes, and GIFs can be sometimes.

Does Ngannou have a chance?

Well, a puncher's chance. But not much more than that.

Again, Ngannou has never boxed. This is a daunting - and borderline impossible - task. The one thing going for Ngannou is that he's one of the hardest punchers in MMA history.

But if Deontay Wilder - a champion-level boxer known for his power - couldn't put Fury away (though he almost did), it seems unlikely Ngannou will either.

Fury has too many advantages in the stand-up department, and as long as he takes the fight seriously, he'll show Ngannou that there are levels to this sport.

What's next for Fury and Ngannou after Saturday?

Fury already has an official deal in place for an undisputed heavyweight title fight against Usyk in the coming months. They were supposed to fight this past spring, but things fizzled out. A new date isn't set yet, but Dec. 23 appears to be the preferred option. That could change depending on how the Ngannou fight goes. Usyk also appears to want more time to prepare.

As for Ngannou, his path after Fury is pretty clear, too. He'll make his PFL debut in early 2024. He said on "The MMA Hour" earlier this week that the promotion is targeting February or March for his first fight. No opponent has been announced. Again, that timeline could change if he takes a lot of damage against Fury.

Considering Ngannou has wanted to box for years, it seems silly to think he won't want to have another boxing match after Saturday. His deal with the PFL allows him to pursue opportunities in boxing such as the Fury fight. Nicksick told theScore that this won't be one-and-done for Ngannou. But if Fury dominates him as expected, who knows if another big-money boxing match will present itself? Wilder or Anthony Joshua may still want to fight him. But maybe not.

Ngannou may end up going back to MMA for good if the lucrative boxing opportunities dry up. He's a savvy businessman and has a good team behind him. They'll figure out what makes sense.

How does the fight end?

Fury wins, potentially in the first half of the fight. If Ngannou had better cardiovascular endurance, a late stoppage would seem like the right call. Fury might carry him for the first few rounds, like Floyd Mayweather did with Conor McGregor in 2017. But Ngannou might be tired by the sixth or seventh, especially if Fury lays on him in the clinch. Fury winning by TKO in the third, fourth, or fifth wouldn't be a surprise.

Expect Fury to use his range to outpoint Ngannou in the early rounds and then load up with damaging shots a bit later on. This fight won't end in a one-punch knockout, but Fury will tee off on Ngannou up against the ropes, and the referee will save "The Predator" from further punishment.