Billed as the Battle of the Baddest, the much-awaited clash between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia, was more than just a fight. It was a galaxy of stars from sports, music, and show business, all in one place.
The fight did not disappoint as Francis delivered one of the best performances as an underdog and even knocked Fury in a round. In the end, Fury emerged victorious, albeit, via a controversial split decision.
Full list of celebs at Battle of the Baddest
The event showcased the power of a great fight. It broke barriers and united celebrities from different worlds. It was a night when stars from various arenas shone together under the sky of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Cristiano Ronaldo, now playing in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr, was there cheering for Ngannou. Other football stars like Rio Ferdinand, Luis Figo, and the iconic Brazilian Ronaldo were also present at the event. Eminem and Kanye West were there too, marking their presence from the music industry.
Manny Pacquiao was present. So did Oscar De La Hoya, Oleksandr Usyk, and three-time world champion Lennox Lewis added to the boxing elite that were present at the venue. Conor McGregor and UFC giants like Chuck Liddell, Junior dos Santos, Kamaru Usman, and Israel Adesanya were there too.
Vince McMahon made an entrance with Mark Calaway, popularly known as The Undertaker. Moreover, Mike Tyson was in Ngannou’s corner, acting as a coach and mentor of The Predator.
Battle of the Baddest result leaves combat sports community stunned
Though Francis Ngannou faced a split decision loss to Tyson Fury in the event billed as the Battle of the Baddest, many saw him as the true victor. Ngannou held his own and even knocked Fury down. The sports world erupted with reactions mainly devoted to siding with Ngannou.
Joel Embiid, the 2023 NBA MVP, who shares roots with Ngannou in Cameroon, suggested that Ngannou is the rightful winner. Logan Paul felt Ngannou should’ve been declared the winner. Jake Paul, Logan’s younger sibling was all praise for Ngannou’s commendable performance. Sean Strickland celebrated Ngannou’s knockdown of Fury.
Henry Cejudo hoped for Ngannou to make history by adding a boxing title to his UFC belt. Several former UFC champs voiced their admiration for Ngannou’s boxing debut. Their praise underscored the respect Ngannou has garnered across the combat sports community. Anthony Pettis expressed interest in a potential Ngannou vs. Deontay Wilder bout.
Demetrious Johnson, Michael Bisping, Ariel Helwani, and even boxing promoter, Eddie Hearn too thought that Ngannou did enough to win the fight. Hearn even went further to claim that Anthony Joshua would KO Fury and Ngannou deserves an immediate rematch for his performance at the Battle of the Baddest.
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