- Chisora left unimpressed by Ngannou training session
- Fury camp confident
- Tyson praises Ngannou’s power
In the lead-up to the clash between Francis Ngannou and Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 28, opinions on Ngannou’s training performance have varied.
Chisora confident of easy win for Fury
Despite Ngannou’s formidable background as a former UFC heavyweight world champion, some, like Tyson Fury’s former opponent Derek Chisora, were less than impressed after witnessing Ngannou’s recent training sessions.
Chisora remarked, “Mate, John Fury said it, if he’s fighting and throwing punches like that, it’s going to be a walkover.” He confidently predicted that Fury would emerge from the fight unscathed, setting the stage for his upcoming bout against Oleksandr Usyk.
John Fury, Tyson’s father and trainer, as Chisora hinted, had been unimpressed. He remarked, “I’ve just seen Francis Ngannou and Mike Tyson – and that so-called trainer that’s got the pads on…If that’s what he can do on a public workout, don’t bother doing a public workout. It’s a disgrace.”
Iron Mike warns Ngannou has the power to deliver a knockout
However, Mike Tyson, the former undisputed world champion, is currently acting as Ngannou’s head trainer and is positive about Ngannou’s punching power. Tyson, renowned as a fearsome puncher himself , sees potential in Ngannou’s transition to boxing. When speaking to The Daily Mail he stated, “I am helping Ngannou. I am learning what he is able to do. He’s able to do so much more than I anticipated. He has what it takes to knockout anything or anybody standing in his way. Once he lands a punch on Tyson Fury’s jaw he is going to knock him out too. Nobody can survive that,”
Tyson, known for his relentless pressure and knockout style, is now passing on his expertise to Ngannou. He shared, “My philosophy for fighting people and knocking them out was just put as much pressure on them as I could… Make them make mistakes and then counter with a knockout. Simple as that.”
Regarding Fury’s decision to step into the ring with Ngannou, Tyson is supportive, stating, “He’s taking advantage of his celebrity status. Why does he always have to jump to the boxing administration?…Fury’s not the all-time great but he’s one of the all-time greats. He can do greatness right now.”
The showdown on October 28 is a non title fight.
Betting Implications
Fury is the overwhelming favourite, just as Ngannou would be if they met in the Octagon. If Chisora’s assessment is correct, the “Gypsy King” should be in for a comfortable night. However, former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou is one of the biggest punchers in MMA and some feel that if he lands one on Fury it could make things less straightforward for the WBC Champion, as suggested by “Iron Mike”. Bettors looking to have a wager on an upset may take this into consideration. A win for Ngannou would be highly unlikely, but if bettors feel that his power could be transferred to the ring some might feel it is worth a speculative punt.
At the time of writing BoyleSports have Fury at 1/12 with Ngannou at 6/1 with a draw 16/1.
For the best betting sites for boxing check out Betting.com’s top list. For more on Fury vs Ngannou have a look at our preview.
