Francis Ngannou Vigilant About Tyson Fury Potentially Cheating By Glove Tampering
Francis Ngannou doesn’t seem to have much faith in Tyson Fury’s spirit of sportsmanship and recently made some huge claims. The former UFC heavyweight champion stated that he thinks Fury will cheat during their boxing match using modified gloves.
Tyson Fury is set to welcome Francis Ngannou to the world of boxing on October 28 in Saudi Arabia. The matchup is the result of a long process, which saw ‘The Predator’ being linked to several high-profile pugilists. After his exit from the UFC earlier this year, Ngannou made it clear he wanted to box. After names like Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, and Andy Ruiz crossed his path, he finally got his dream opponent.
Tyson Fury is the WBC heavyweight champion and is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers ever. Given his resume, not many give Francis Ngannou a rabbit’s chance of winning. However, the Cameroonian is known as the hardest hitter in all of MMA and undoubtedly has a puncher’s chance.
During his recent conversation with Joe Rogan, Ngannou recalled Fury’s glove controversy after his win over Wilder in 2020. The story involved Deontay Wilder accusing Tyson Fury of using tampered gloves during their fight. Ngannou told Rogan that Fury is “tricky with his glove” and could cut his glove and land an eye poke.
While Francis Ngannou’s concern was genuine, Joe Rogan was having none of it. The UFC commentator pushed back by asking what proof Wilder had and dismissed the allegations as mere losing frenzy. He also added that the British Boxing Commission is very strict and checks everything always.
To that point, Ngannou stated that he knew about the commission and was open to fighting bare-knuckle. However, he asked that he not be given 10-ounce gloves while his opponent had 8-ounce gloves.
Ngannou’s boxing debut is set to make him a reported $10 million and will stream on ESPN+ pay-per-view. Meanwhile, Fury is coming off a stoppage victory over Derek Chisora in December 2022.