Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, went toe-to-toe with lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in the event billed as “The Battle of the Baddest.” The bout was among the most anticipated of the year and gave the fans more than they had hoped for.
Many celebrities from all sections of the society were present at the event. It was a magnificent event that brought the whole of showbiz, combat sports, and other sports under one umbrella.
McGregor’s bizarre advice to Ngannou
UFC superstar Conor McGregor, known for his wit and humor, gave Francis Ngannou a cheeky piece of advice before the high-profile boxing match. The advice was to kick Fury’s legs, a common tactic in MMA. However, it’s an illegal move in boxing.
McGregor’s comment meant as a light-hearted jest but it became a focal point after the fight concluded. This is due to the fact that the referee missed a foul play done by Tyson Fury. In the sixth round of the bout, Fury elbowed Ngannou in the face surprising many. However, Francis Ngannou showed no effect of it and kept coming forward.
McGregor was not a big supporter of Ngannou when he left the UFC. He was among the many who thought Francis fumbled the bag by leaving the UFC. Now signed with the PFL, Ngannou has the freedom to box and is also guaranteed a big purse in MMA under the PFL banner.
Ngannou agrees to Irishman after Tyson Fury’s elbow
The aftermath of the bout saw Francis Ngannou reflecting on the match and jokingly expressing regret. It was for not taking McGregor’s playful advice seriously. Fury appeared to elbow Ngannou in a move reminiscent of MMA fighters rather than boxers.
Taking to the social media platform, Ngannou humorously pointed out Fury’s MMA-style move and rued not targeting Fury’s legs, as McGregor had suggested. Ngannou tweeted on X acknowledging McGregor, “He was right I should’ve kick his fk legs, I can’t believe that that he elbowed me “
Fury was set to box against unified boxing champion, Oleksandr Usyk in December. However, the injuries he sustained in the recently concluded fight have dampened those chances. It was earlier said that the Usyk versus Fury would happen in late 2023 or early 2024.
Conor McGregor will also be making his long-awaited return to the octagon in early 2024. His return, presumably against Michael Chandler is one of the most anticipated fights of the year. His return timeline coincides with UFC 300. So it comes as no surprise that the biggest superstar of the sport headline the coveted event.
What do you think of the Tyson Fury elbow that went unaddressed by the referee? Do comment below!
