By: Sean Crose
Okay…Tyson Fury did indeed beat UFC legend Francis Ngannou Saturday night in Saudi Arabia. That fact that can’t be argued. The question some are certainly asking right now is SHOULD Fury have won on the judge’s scorecards after his stunning struggle against Ngannou came to an end? Sure, Fury got the nod from the judges – but it was a split decision nod. That was something absolutely no one expected. Perhaps even more shocking, Ngannou put Fury on the canvas in the third. That’s right, Francis Ngannou knocked down the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world in his boxing debut.
But that’s not all. Fury had to fight for dear life against Ngannou throughout the bout. Again, the man BARELY won. It’s quite the embarrassment for boxing – especially when Fury’s fellow heavyweight titlist Oleksandr Usyk has been waiting forever to finally get Fury in the ring. Now, of course, Fury is the subject of an inordinate amount of scrutiny – and deservedly so. The general consensus after the decision is that Fury looked terrible. Indeed, he actually clipped Nganou with his elbow at one point. The internet is now abuzz asking whether or not Fury will still fight Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world this December, as has been planned.
With so much attention going to Fury, however, it’s easy for the fight world to forget about Ngannou, who performed exceptionally. He dropped the heavyweight champion of the world in his pro debut, after all – and nearly walked out of the ring with the win. The key to the man’s near success rested in the fact that he proved to actually be stronger than Fury in the ring. Fury, who likes to smother opponents by weighing them down, found himself at a loss on Saturday. The tactic didn’t work against Ngannou. It’s unwise, after all, to try to grapple with a mixed martial artist.
So what does all this mean? That Saturday was a VERY bad night for boxing. Yes, Fury had the skill and experience to pull out the victory, but he certainly looked terrible in the process – against a man making his pro debut, no less. Suffice to say, the bout is now being accused of having been rigged. That’s doubtful. Still, questions remain – did the wily Fury simply have a very bad night for himself – or is there a new bad ass in the heavyweight division? Time will most likely tell.
