Tyson Fury’s win over Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia was met with a firestorm of criticism from boxing fans all over the globe, as well as NBA Superstars LeBron James and Damian Lillard.
Although Ngannou was a novice inside the boxing arena, he was the overwhelming favorite to win in the eyes of the crowd, as he was able to land some powerful shots in Fury’s path, especially in round three when he knocked out the WBC world heavyweight champion and elicited audience roars.
Ngannou – Impressive
Despite Ngannou’s impressive performance, he ultimately lost to Fury via a split decision. And instead of cheers and congratulations, the social media X was flooded with qualms about the eye-brow raising 94-95, 96-93, 95-94 scorecards, with users welcoming Fury’s win with a mix of shock and suspicion.
Among the people who raised their reservations about the outcome were the all-time leading scorer, four-time champion LeBron James, and seven-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard.
James vented his disappointment on X, writing, “Exactly why i don’t watch boxing! C’mon man! 🤦🏾♂️”
Exactly why i don't watch boxing! C'mon man! 🤦🏾♂️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 28, 2023
Lillard, on the other hand, summed up his frustration in a three-letter word: “Wtf?”
Exactly why i don't watch boxing! C'mon man! 🤦🏾♂️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 28, 2023
According to CBS Sports, while it is true that Ngannou did control the early stages of the battle and knocked his opponent out, he appeared to tire in the middle rounds of the fight and only bounced back with furious rallies at points throughout the second half.
Fury, on the other hand, had better boxing in most of the rounds, helping him to win in the end. CompuBox also showed on X that Fury led in landed punches by 71-59.
Ngannou lost the decision, but won the night, outlanding Fury 37-32 in power shots and dropping Fury in round 3. Fury had a 71-59 edge in landed punches. Ngannou might want back the last 2 rounds, when he landed just 6 of 38 punches to 13 of 37 for Fury. pic.twitter.com/KmusCCvF9I
— CompuBox (@CompuBox) October 28, 2023
But even with all the numbers and statistics, most people still weren’t convinced by the outcome, stating that Ngannou deserved to win.
Ngannou, on the other hand, agreed with the judge’s decision, stating that Fury’s victory “wasn’t in the script”.
“He’s a hell of a fighter. Strong, good puncher, a better boxer than we ever thought he’d be. … He’s a very awkard man and a good puncher. I respect him a lot. Before the fight and afterward. Listen, he was very awkward, he wasn’t coming forward. He was waiting to counter my punches. He’s given me one of my hardest fights in the past 10 years,” Fury said, per CBS Sports.
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Cover Photo: YouTube