Fury, Ngannou agree to Oct. 28 boxing match in Saudi Arabia
Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou agreed to a boxing match in Saudi Arabia on Oct. 28.
The two will fight under official professional boxing rules with three judges adopting the 10-point must system, according to MMA journalist Ariel Helwani.
Queensberry, Top Rank, and Ngannou's promotional banner, GIMIK Fight Promotions, agreed to partner with Riyadh Season to host the fight.
Are you ready @francis_ngannou!? #BADDESTMANONTHEPLANET #RIYADHSEASON pic.twitter.com/D0B3IxFkR7
— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) July 11, 2023
Fury first mentioned the possibility of a bout with Ngannou last April.
"I can't wait to get back out there under the lights," Fury said in a statement Tuesday, according to ESPN's Mike Coppinger. "I'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."
The 34-year-old has been idle since he took down Derek Chisora via 10th-round stoppage last December. Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) had been in talks with Oleksandr Usyk for an undisputed heavyweight title fight but negotiations broke down.
The World Boxing Council decided not to strip Fury of his heavyweight title for taking the Ngannou fight, president Mauricio Sulaiman said Tuesday. The organization granted Fury special permission for the exhibition because "there is no official challenger" after his attempts to strike a deal with Usyk, Andy Ruiz Jr., and Anthony Joshua all fell through.
Ngannou (20-3-3, 12 KOs) hasn't fought since January 2022 when he retained his UFC heavyweight belt with a victory over Ciryl Gane.
"My dream was always to box, and to box the best," Ngannou said. "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."
The 36-year-old parted ways with the UFC in January after the two sides couldn't come to terms on a contract extension.
Ngannou signed a multi-fight contract with PFL in May to compete in MMA. He is expected to debut for the promotion in mid-2024 against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. The agreement also allowed Ngannou to pursue boxing matches outside of the PFL.