Not long to go now until the first bell rings to signal the start of the heavily hyped, and much-maligned, Tyson Fury-Francis Ngannou fight. What we fans who pay to watch the event will get is anyone’s guess, but most people, if they are really honest, see nothing but a Fury win, and a commanding one. Nothing else.
That said, this is heavyweight boxing (a pro heavyweight boxing debut for Ngannou, tonight’s contest now officially confirmed by the BBB of C as a bout that will go down on the pro records of both men) – and anything can happen. Alex Krassyuk, promoter of Oleksandr Usyk, says he is “praying” Tyson Fury comes through tonight’s fight in Riyadh unscathed. Why? Because, as we all know, Fury and Usyk are set to get it on on December 23. For this to happen, though, Fury cannot afford any injuries tonight, no cuts, no bruises of note – and of course, no defeat.
Uysk sent Ngannou a short message just ahead of tonight’s fight:
“Francis, be careful with Tyson, I need him in the ring on December 23,” Usyk said in a quote aimed at the MMA giant.
While later, Usyk took to social media to remind Fury that is is “scared” of fighting him.
“Tyson Fury is the one who talks too much,” Usyk wrote. “The idea for this is to get into my head. But the reality is, that I am inside his head. @Tyson_Fury, I know you’re scared to fight me. But, my friend, you’ll have to step in the ring on the 23rd of December with me. And you will get beaten.”
It of course remains to be seen which reigning heavyweight champ will get beaten on December 23. All we fight fans want is for the fight to go ahead, to happen, no more messing around. If the fight does take place as scheduled on December 23 – this just eight weeks from today – who will have the last laugh, Fury or Usyk? Or will Ngannou shake the boxing world to its very core by landing THE punch/bomb/missile of his career and KO Fury, thus having the biggest laugh of all?
Again, this is heavyweight boxing and anything can happen. With just hours to go, would YOU be confident enough to bet your house on a Fury win?
