Just weeks remain until the eagerly anticipated boxing bout between Tyson Fury and ex-UFC star Francis Ngannou in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Fury, speaking exclusively to TNT Sports, labelled Ngannou a “dynamite puncher” and one that he is preparing assiduously for. Fury also suggested that he would fight Oleksandr Usyk after the Ngannou bout, if his financial demands are met.
Tyson Fury, in an exclusive conversation with Rio Ferdinand for TNT Sports, dismissed his future opponent Oleksandr Usyk as “a nobody.”
Fury will face off against Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on October 28, in a clash billed as ‘Battle of the Baddest’, and one that will be shown exclusively live on TNT Sports Box Office.
For Fury it will be his first step into a competitive ring since defeating Derek Chisora at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last December.
On Friday afternoon, Fury tweeted an announcement that appeared to confirm a deal had been reached with the unified champion, with Queensberry Promotions stating the fight would take place in Saudi Arabia.
“The fans want it [Usyk v Fury], if the money’s there, we’ll do it,” said Fury on Rio Meets Tyson, which you can watch at 15:15 on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+.
“Why in the world would I want to fight him for no money? He’s got zero personality, he’s an ugly b***** with gappy teeth, and he’s half the size of me.
“So it’s all to gain for him and nothing to gain for me. If I beat him it’s like ‘oh well he beat a middleweight’. If he beats me, he beat legendary Tyson Fury, for no money.
“He was offered the fight at Wembley in April. A lot of money. And they didn’t take it, they ran away, looking for more money.
“It is what it is. I understand everyone wants the most money possible – I do. This is prize fighting, we all want the biggest bag, and no matter what people say ‘it’s about the belts, it’s about my record, my legacy’. No. It’s all about getting paid and getting l***. And that’s it.”
As well as Usyk, fight fans have long salivated over the prospect of Fury locking horns with fellow British heavyweight Anthony Joshua.
But Fury appeared to dismiss that notion, referencing Joshua’s two defeats to Usyk – in September 2021 and August 2022 respectively – as evidence of his diminished standing.
“AJ’s been beat now,” Fury said. “I was interested when he was a virgin. It was a test. We want big fights, this that and the other, but ‘who are you? You don’t have any belts anymore. You don’t have anything to give.’
“I’m interested in doing the biggest fights, most money, most glamour, everything. That’s why I’m going to Saudi to fight Francis Ngannou. Not only for the biggest bag ever, also ‘two worlds collide’, millions of people around the world are going to watch it.
“If you put Oleksandr Usyk in Morecambe in a leisure centre, he wouldn’t sell it out. I beat Ed Sheeran at Wembley, and Adele [in attendance figures]. The Gypsy King on top of the pile, 94,000 [people].
“So you know what I mean? And then I offer him [Usyk] 30 per cent of a large bag, and they say no, they want more. On what merit do you deserve more? I’m a superstar, you’re a nobody.
“But if the fight does come, no problem – knock him out. And If I don’t then you can all say ‘told you so’.”
Looking ahead to his clash with Ngannou, Fury was at pains to emphasise the risk that comes with fighting someone like the former UFC heavyweight champion.
Fury said: “He [Ngannou] is a dynamite puncher in both hands. He’s recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the hardest puncher to ever punch anything, so there’s that risk.
“And also the biggest risk of all is fighting an MMA fighter and I’m the world heavyweight champion. What happens if he beats me? Ridiculed. It’d be like getting beaten by Liverpool for United 7-0. It’s like, how do you come back from that?
“All of these opponents that I face, they’re all risky fights. They’re all big men. Anyone over like 14 stone is a big man. And all of these guys are big, big lumps.
“When I’m fighting them the risk’s always the same, they’ve always got a puncher’s chance, but I never leave a stone unturned. That’s one thing I do, I always do everything I can in my power to be successful.
“And also if this guy’s going to beat me then fair play, I’ll shake his hand, he must be a good fighter because I’m no easy man to beat as I’ve proven over the years.”
