Champ Offers Unique Challenge to Francis Ngannou

Getty UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou suddenly has all sorts of megafight options.

It seems like everybody wants to fight UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou these days, but only one champ can offer Ngannou a completely different kind of fight than all the others. Boxing’s WBC and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has long said he desires a boxing match against Ngannou, but “The Gypsy King” told Michael Bisping in a recent interview for BT Sport that he would like to box Ngannou inside an MMA cage wearing 4-ounce gloves.

“I’ll fight Ngannou with the little gloves on in a cage, but no grappling and all that,” Fury told BT Sport.

You can watch the entire interview below.

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Ngannou vs. Fury: ‘Cage Boxing’

Fury labeled the megafight “cage boxing”, and such a fight would be something different than even the latest and greatest crossover exhibition bouts offer.

Fury believes melding the rules together would offer a competitive fight. Ngannou would get to wear the smaller gloves but no wrestling or kicking would be allowed.

“Cage boxing…I’d fight these guys, but you know yourself it’s a totally different [game]. It’s like cricket and tennis. They both have balls and rackets, but it’s a totally different thing,” Fury said.

While Fury has teased the idea of participating in MMA fights in the past, the boxing champ admitted to Bisping that it was all just talk. Fury is a world champion boxer, and he doesn’t plan on transitioning over to the MMA world ever.

“If I fight Ngannou in a wrestling match, I’m not a wrestler, so I’m just going to get taken down to the floor like James Toney and smashed to pieces,” Fury said.

Fury was referencing the former boxing champ’s short MMA fight against UFC legend Randy Couture. “The Natural” took Toney down to the floor, and the fight was over in a hurry.

Even when Bisping explained to Fury that Ngannou wasn’t really a wrestling-based MMA star, the boxing champ clarified his stance on the matter.

“Well, he knows more than me,” Fury said.

Still, Fury does seem to believe a boxing match against Ngannou inside a cage with small gloves on would bring the best of boxing and MMA into one amazing new thing.

Minimally, it would allow Fury to participate in some aspect of his favorite part of UFC.

“I think the only exciting thing about the UFC is when they’re standing up and banging with each other,” Fury said.

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Both Ngannou and Fury Already Have Other Fights Lined Up

It’s a fun idea, but Fury won’t be facing Ngannou next.

Fury takes on former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder on July 24 in Las Vegas. Fury and Wilder fought to a split draw in 2018, and Fury won the rematch by seventh-round stoppage in 2020.

Now, Fury and Wilder will meet again.

Meanwhile, Ngannou is likely headed into his own rematch against UFC heavyweight hitter Derrick Lewis. That fight hasn’t been announced yet, but UFC president Dana White has repeatedly said it was on the way.

But after that?

Maybe Fury and Ngannou could finally rumble in a unique boxing cage fight for the ages.

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