One of the biggest events of the year, quite literally, is set to kick off this weekend. A dream matchup of top heavyweights in boxing and MMA is set to go down in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night when WBC and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury squares off with former UFC and lineal heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. The two will meet inside the boxing ring as the latest in the crossover genre.
Your mileage will vary on crossover fights, but there is no denying the spectacle of Fury vs. Ngannou. The fight — dubbed “Rumble in Riyadh” — features two of the best heavyweights of their time in their respective sports. The painfully overdue Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight has damaged Fury’s brand, but the former unified heavyweight boxing champ is a generational talent.
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Ngannou rocked the mixed martial arts world at the beginning of the year after splitting from UFC despite being the promotion’s heavyweight titleholder. It’s impossible to ask Ngannou to bridge the technical gap against Fury (33-0-1) in his boxing debut, but there is arguably no MMA fighter with a puncher’s chance more powerful than Ngannou.
Ngannou will also have an all-timer in his corner with Mike Tyson serving as his trainer. But more information about his involvement came out this week as the Saudi Arabian investors are paying the former heavyweight champion to be involved and he’s more of a figurehead than anything. Regardless, Ngannou is trying to soak up any knowledge Tyson is willing to dispense ahead of his debut.
“It’s something so important and interesting to have one of the greatest — if he’s not the greatest heavyweight of all time — being part of it and being in your corner and believing in you,” Ngannou told CBS Sports. “Just that one thing itself is everything. Then you have to talk about his technique, his fundamentals, his footwork and his skills. Everything you can learn from him.”
Unified heavyweight champion Usyk will be one of the most interested spectators in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night and he was greeted by Fury upon arrival in Saudi Arabia on Friday. Usyk and Fury have finally signed on for the first four-belt undisputed title bout in heavyweight history with the target date of Dec. 23. But if Fury were to suffer an injury, cut or stunning upset, it would only delay that bout even further into 2024.
“At this present moment in my time in life, I’m only interested in Ngannou,” Fury told CBS Sports this week. “If I get a massive cut 27 inches across the eyebrow and I get an injured right hand and two broken ribs in victory, then that’s what I’ll do. I’m not too concerned about Usyk at all. All my focus and energy is going into fighting Francis and I’ve given it an unbelievable preparation.”
The undercard really doesn’t do much for casual fans checking in for the spectacle that is expected in the main event. But the fights to go off before Fury and Ngannou hit the ring are all heavyweight contests with a few names hardcore fans might recognize. Fabio Wardley and David Adeleye are set as the chief support bout for the main event. Plus, former WBO heavyweight champ Joseph Parker is back in action when he takes on Simon Kean. And veteran Carlos Takam hits the ring once more when he battles with Martin Bakole.
Below is the complete fight card for Fury vs. Ngannou. Check back all week long for the latest news, features and other content around this massive event.
Fury vs. Ngannou fight card, odds
| Tyson Fury -1400 | Francis Ngannou +750 | Heavyweight |
| Fabio Wardley -310 | David Adeleye +230 | Heavyweight |
| Joseph Parker -1200 | Simon Kean +600 | Heavyweight |
| Martin Bakole -750 | Carlos Takam +475 | Heavyweight |
| Arslanbek Makhumodov -4000 | Anthony Wright +1100 | Heavyweight |
| Moses Itauma -3000 | Istvan Bernath +1000 | Heavyweight |
Fury vs. Ngannou info
- Date: Oct. 28
- Location: Boulevard Hall — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Start time: 2 p.m. ET (Main card)
- How to watch: ESPN+ PPV | Price: $79.99
Fury vs. Ngannou countdown
Who wins Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury, and which prop is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Peter Kahn’s best bets for Saturday, all from the boxing specialist who has netted his followers a profit of nearly $4,000, and find out.
