World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury watched on as rival Anthony Joshua battered and sensationally knocked out Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on Friday night. After being captured looking somewhat stunned at ringside, he gave his immediate reaction and insists Joshua’s impressive performance has little bearing on what would happen if they finally meet in the ring.
In his professional boxing debut back in October, Ngannou knocked WBC heavyweight champion Fury to the canvas before controversially losing via split decision in their epic 10-round battle. Fury was expected to dominate the former MMA star, but the big-punching Ngannou impressed; the WBC even recently installed the 37-year-old in their top 10 of title contenders.
Ahead of the clash in Riyadh, Fury defended his compatriot amid debate surrounding Joshua’s ability to take a punch. Ultimately, the Knockout Chaos main event was abruptly ended by Joshua’s own punching ability as he brutally pummelled Ngannou en route to a stellar second-round knockout victory.
Fury was certainly impressed by Joshua’s performance. But the Gypsy King is certainly more conscious of the threat of Oleksandr Usyk ahead of their clash in May rather than Joshua’s return to form.
After Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, branded his fighter as the best heavyweight in the world, Fury told DAZN: “I’m sure that Oleksandr Usyk will have something to say about that, because he’s only beat him twice a few years ago.
“And me and Usyk have got an undisputed heavyweight championship coming up and he’s just had a show fight in Saudi Arabia, which is fantastic for the show, but for the actual real boxing it’s me and Usyk who fight for the number one and number two positions and the undisputed championship of the world.”
When asked about his fight with Ngannou compared to Joshua’s dominant performance, Fury said: “Styles make fights and I almost got it right. I predicted one round AJ over there, with Eddie Hearn. I almost got it right!
“Listen, he did absolutely fantastic tonight. He lit him up with a right hand which was absolutely perfect and knocked him out, that’s what a boxer should’ve done to him so congratulations, well done.
“But if he fights me in the future, after I’ve dealt with Usyk twice, next year, then it’ll be a different game.”
Fury and Joshua have been rivals for years, but the two have never shared the ring together despite fans clamouring for the bout for years. According to Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn, the two men will certainly finally fight one another should Fury defeat Usyk to determine the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
If both Brits are successful, Hearn insists Joshua-Fury will be made official by Turki Al-Sheikh, chair of General Authority for Entertainment in Saudi Arabia. Speaking to Sky Sports News, Hearn said: “That is why we’re here in this fight. His Excellency [Turki Al-Sheikh] said to us, the winner of AJ and Ngannou will fight the winner of Fury vs Usyk.
“Now all of a sudden, people are going, ‘AJ might take Fury out’. I’m telling you, he knocks Tyson Fury out, but we’ve just got to get over this hurdle on Friday night and I know that His Excellency will have AJ stopping Ngannou and Fury beating Usyk – fingers crossed – [then] there is no way in the world he will not make that fight.
“It will be the biggest fight in boxing. One of the biggest fights of our generation and in all time of the history of the sport, AJ against Tyson Fury.”
