On Saturday night, we have the biggest fight of the year – in size at least. The ‘Battle of the Baddest’ is the latest crossover fight on our screens and this time it’s between WBC heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and ex-UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. We’ve taken a look at this contest and given you our best bets. 

Another week, another cross-over boxing match, Yay! zzz

What the hell is Tyson Fury (33-0-1(24KO)) playing at? Fighting an ex-UFC star who has never fought in the boxing ring before. Remember this is the man that claims to be the greatest heavyweight of his generation and possibly of all time. The Lineal Champ. The Gypsy King.

I’ll tell you what he’s doing – picking up the easiest pay check (rumoured to be $50m+) of his life. Ok, maybe if you discount the Sefer Seferi fight!

Well, whether you like it or not, the current WBC Heavyweight Champion of the World will line up on Saturday night to face Francis Ngannou (0-0-0(0KO)).

Fury has apparently signed terms to face Oleksandr Usyk in December for the undisputed title, with all four HW straps on the line, so a loss here could be catastrophic to those plans.

For Ngannou there is the reward of a eight-figure purse for himself, which will come in more than handy, after leaving Dana White’s organisation back in January.

‘The Predator’ is apparently taking this one extremely serious and has employed the man Fury was named after, Mike Tyson, to be his cornerman.

Whether you like these fights and whether you think it is helping or harming the sport, one thing is for sure, you will find a way to watch it on Saturday night – just in case…

Where and when is the fight taking place?

The fight is taking place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Saturday 28th October and is expected to be held at the Dirayah Arena, which was also the location for Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz and Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury. The fight will be broadcast live and exclusively on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK, with a price of £21.99.

The event is an Frank Warren/Bob Arum co-promotion for Queensbury Boxing/Top Rank, with the show expected to start at 6PM and the main ring walk due to take place at around 10pm UK time.

What does the full fight card look like?

• MAIN EVENT: Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou 
• Fabio Wardley vs David Adeleye
• Joseph Parker vs Simon Kean
• Arslanbek Makhmudov v Junior Anthony Wright
• Moses Itauma vs Istvan Bernath
• Carlos Takam vs Martin Bakole
• Jack McGann v Alcibiade Duran Galvan

(subject to change)

Who’s the favourite?

To no ones surprise, Betfred have Fury as a huge 1/14 favourite, with Ngannou a 8/1 shot to pull off the shock of all shocks. The draw is priced at 40/1.

What’s been said?

Anthony Crolla met with Dom McGuinness on Betfred’s Lightweight Boxing show to break down how the fight might go down. He thinks the fight will play out exactly how Fury wants it to.

“If I lose to an MMA guy I’ll never be able to show my face in public again. It’s going to ridicule me, people will chuck it at me forever.

If I get knocked out, then I want you all to laugh at me. That’s what I want, because I deserve it.

Francis Ngannou is stepping up to the plate. And I think he’s going to be a bit of a bigger, tougher challenge than these other guys.
These other guys are just boxers, this guy’s more than that.”

Tyson Fury

“I have had these dreams since I was a kid to become a boxer. It’s not just that I’m going to box, but I am going to box the guy on the mountain.

Nobody knows exactly what’s going to happen. But what I do know for sure is I am going to be out there hunting for this guy’s head, to take it off.

What will happen at the moment that guy hits the floor and doesn’t stand up? Will I be the best boxer in the world? If you take out the No 1, you are the No 1? I think so.”

Francis Ngannou

Tyson Fury to win on points – 5/1

I totally agree with both Anthony Crolla and Carl Frampton on this one. This fight will be whatever Tyson Fury wants it to be.

Frampton spoke in the media this week and said Fury could win this in the first round if he genuinely wanted to and I have no doubt that’s the case.

However, Fury is a showman and he knows that the Saudi money-masters will want some payback for their $60+ outlay. There is no way that he’s going to try and end this one early.

I envisage Fury staying away from Ngannou’s big right hand in the first few rounds, dancing around the ring and showing his boxing on the back foot. Then as we enter the second half of the fight, he will start toying with the Cameroonian and turning the Predator into his prey.

With the fight only being 10 rounds and such a big fight on the horizon for Fury, I don’t expect him to take any chances and to treat this one like a glorified sparring session.

Now can we get back to the real fights please?