The so-called “Battle of the Baddest” will see boxing champion Tyson Fury take on MMA great Francis Ngannou in a spectacle featuring two fighters at the top of their fields.
It will mark former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou’s first boxing bout – and he’s starting against a man considered by many to be the best of his weight class in undefeated lineal and WBC heavyweight champion Fury.
The highly anticipated 10-round showdown is a non-title fight, yet Fury claims there is more on the line for him now than in any of his previous battles.
Here’s everything you need to know about the fight.
When and where is it?
Fury and Ngannou will face off on Saturday 28 October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with undercard coverage starting at 6pm UK time.
The main event ring walks are expected to start at roughly 10.40pm.
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Who’s on the undercard?
Another major clash is due to take place at the show, between Fabio Wardley (16-0) and David Adeleye (12-0) for the British heavyweight title. Former WBO heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker will also take on Canada’s Simon Kean.
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The rest of the fights expected on the undercard are:
Arslanbek Makhmudov v Junior Anthony Wright; Heavyweight
Moses Itauma v Istvan Bernath; Heavyweight
Carlos Takam v Martin Bakole; Heavyweight
Jack McGann v Alcibiade Duran Galvan; Super welterweight
About the fighters
Anyone with even a marginal interest in the sport will be familiar with the self-proclaimed “Gypsy King”, Tyson Fury.
The six-foot-nine heavyweight, who has a record of 33-0-1 (24 KOs), briefly became unified heavyweight champion in 2015, when he toppled longstanding holder Wladimir Klitschko.
He was later stripped of two of those titles and vacated the three others during a period in which he suffered from mental health issues leading to alcoholism, recreational drug use and extreme weight gain.
But he went on to compete in one of the great ever boxing trilogies, against American Deontay Wilder, winning the WBC title back in the second of those bouts.
The 35-year-old more recently beat Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora in front of record-breaking crowds in London.
Cameroonian-French Ngannou reached similar heights in his UFC career, knocking out one of the greatest heavyweights in UFC history, Stipe Miocic, in 2021 to become the UFC’s first-ever heavyweight champion from Africa.
The 37-year-old was stripped of the title after leaving the UFC in January, having failed to agree terms on a new contract.
He has not fought since he defeated Ciryl Gane by unanimous decision at UFC 270 in January 2022.
That win was Ngannou’s sixth in a row, adding to his record of 17-3-0.
While he will be dismissed by many as a boxing novice, the six-foot-four, 280-pound fighter is no stranger to the ring, having trained as a boxer for years before making it in MMA.
Heavyweight boxing icon Mike Tyson is training him up for the encounter.
Image: Mike Tyson watches as Francis Ngannou trains with Dewey Cooper at a private gym in Las Vegas
Why the cross-over?
While Ngannou is far from a nobody, he certainly would not have been the first opponent fans thought of when Fury was looking for his next challenge after beating Dereck Chisora last December by technical knockout.
But the fight was sanctioned by the WBC after Fury’s efforts to make an undisputed championship fight with Oleksandr Usyk, the of the WBA, WBO and IBF titles, failed.
There was also speculation around fights with contenders such as Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz before he agreed to the cross-over bout with Ngannou.
While both boxers have insisted it is not the case, some have speculated the money they will receive has been the deciding factor – with claims Ngannou coud earn more than £8m and Fury reported picking up £39m.
Fury’s next fight did not exactly come from nowhere, though. Straight after knocking out Dillian Whyte in April 2022, he pulled Ngannou into a post-fight interview in the ring.
He promised an “explosive fight” with Ngannou, who was UFC champion at that point.
The MMA fighter was receptive to the idea, although he clearly had different plans for the nature of the fight.
“It’s going to be a hybrid fight with different type of rules – you know, MMA gloves… like a mix-up… something a little different,” Ngannou said in the ring, as Fury nodded in apparent agreement.
The “hybrid” pitch never panned out, and it was later confirmed that the fight would take place under the official rules of professional boxing.
TNT Sports will be showing the fight live on its pay-per-view service in the UK and Ireland.
Sky customers can purchase TNT Sports Box Office on channel 490 via their remote control or via www.sky.com/boxoffice/tnt-sports
Streaming service DAZN will be making the fight available on a pay-per-view basis in over 200 other countries.
What have Fury and Ngannou said?
Image: Tyson Fury jokes about his weight during a face-off with Francis Ngannou. Pic: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
Fury has been quick to dismiss suggestions that he can take this fight lightly due to his opponent’s lack of experience in the boxing ring, claiming there’s “more riding on this than there ever has been before.”
In a press conference last month, he said: “I only trained six weeks for Deontay Wilder – I’m training 12 weeks for Francis. I need to be on my A-game, because there’s more on the line now than a boxing fight.
“If I lose to a number one contender or another champion, then people would say, ‘oh, he lost to another champion.’
“But if I lost to an MMA guy, I’m never going to be able to show my face in public again. There’s going to be ridicule and people are going to chuck it in my face forever.
“There’s more riding on this than there ever has been before.
“Whether the media wants to take it as a joke or not, make no mistake, Tyson Fury will leave no stone unturned and I will come in at my fittest and strongest I’ve ever been to beat this man.
“If I’m not, and I get knocked out, I want you all to laugh at me. That’s what I want, because I would’ve deserved it.
“The man’s a machine and I’ll give 100% respect.”
“I’m very excited and happy,” Ngannou said. “I had a dream as a kid to become a boxer, and now I’m going to box a guy at the peak of the mountain.
“For me, usually I would not pay attention to what’s going on around me, but this is so big that I can’t stop thinking about it.
“History is about to be made in Riyadh on October 28. It’s something that I didn’t see coming, although my dream was that someday it would happen.
“It’s not just going to be a fight, we’re opening up Riyadh Season, so it’s a cultural event that we’re fighting in.
“Nobody knows exactly what’s going to happen, but what I do know for sure is that I’m going to be out there hunting for this guy’s head to take it off, I guarantee you that.”
‘I’d like to fight Ngannou in the cage’
Fury has also backed himself to beat Ngannou at his own game, in a future MMA fight.
“I’d like to fight Ngannou in the cage; I think I’d beat him for sure,” he said.
“He’s not a good jiu-jitsu man, he’s not a good wrestler. He’s known for striking and I’m a better striker than him. I’d knock him out in seconds. He’s more of a stand-up striker.”
Hungarian authorities have banned the Irish rap group Kneecap from entering the country, accusing them of engaging in “antisemitic hate speech” and “supporting terrorism”.
Kneecap were set to perform at the Sziget Festival, taking place from 6 to 11 August in Budapest.
The Belfast-based band, which often shares pro-Palestinian messages during its shows, has attracted controversy in recent months after accusing the Israeli government of committing “genocide” in Gaza.
Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said on Thursday that the band’s members “repeatedly engage in antisemitic hate speech supporting terrorism and terrorist groups”.
“Hungary has zero tolerance for antisemitism in any form,” Kovacs said on X, adding that the band’s planned performance “posed a national security threat,” and the band has therefore been formally banned from entering Hungary for three years.
“If they enter, expulsion will follow under international norms,” Kovacs added.
Image: Kneecap performing during the Glastonbury Festival in June. Pic: Reuters
Responding to the spokesman’s comments, Kneecap said “there is no legal basis” for Hungary’s decision and that “no member of Kneecap has ever been convicted of any crime in any country”.
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“It is clear that this is a political distraction and a further attempt to silence those who call out genocide against the Palestinian people,” the band said in a statement on X.
During Kneecap’s gig at Britain’s Glastonbury Festival in June, frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, performing under the stage name Mo Chara, accused Israel of war crimes in Gaza.
Ahead of the gig, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he doesn’t think Kneecap’s planned performance was “appropriate”.
Image: Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury. Pic: Reuters
Following Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury, a criminal investigation was launched into comments made on stage by the trio. However, police ultimately decided not to pursue further action, citing “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
Kneecap called the investigation “political policing intimidation”.
Mo Chara has been formally charged with a terrorism offence after allegedly displaying a flag in support of the militant group Hezbollah during a gig in November. He denies the offence.
Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organisation by the UK and the US.
The legendary WWE wrestler Hulk Hogan has died aged 71.
Police have said emergency services responders treated Hogan at his home in Clearwater, Florida, for cardiac arrest at around 10am local time (3pm UK time) today but he died in hospital around an hour and 15 minutes later.
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, is perhaps the most iconic star in WWE’s five-decade history – known for his distinctive blonde moustache and colourful headbands.
His charisma and theatrics in the ring are credited with helping to transform professional wrestling into a family entertainment sport.
Image: Hulk Hogan. Pic: AP
Hogan was the main draw for the first-ever WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years in its signature event, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon.
He claimed his first WWE world championship by defeating the Iron Sheik in 1984.
Hogan went on to win five more world championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 by Sylvester Stallone.
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Image: Hulk Hogan fighting Andre The Giant in 1988. Pic: AP
Image: Hulk Hogan face to face with The Rock in 2014. Pic: AP
WWE said in a post this evening: “WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away. One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”
Hogan’s friend and fellow former professional wrestler, Ric Flair, wrote on X: “I am absolutely shocked to hear about the passing of my close friend @HulkHogan! Hulk has been by my side since we started in the wrestling business.
“An incredible athlete, talent, friend, and father!”
Hogan was also able to transcend his “Hulkamania” fan base to become a celebrity outside the wrestling world, appearing in numerous movies and television shows, including a reality show about his life on VH1, “Hogan Knows Best”.
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0:33
Hulk Hogan shows support for Trump at Republican National Convention
In 2024, he appeared at the Republican National Convention to endorse the presidential bid of Donald Trump.
Hogan said he made the decision to support the Republican candidate after seeing his combative, fist-pumping reaction to an attempted assassination on the campaign trail.
In a reference to so-called “Hulkamania”, he ripped off his shirt to reveal a Trump tank top and bellowed to a cheering crowd: “Let Trumpamania run wild, brother… Let Trumpamania rule again!”
US Vice President JD Vance has been one of the first to pay tribute to Hogan, writing on X: “Hulk Hogan was a great American icon. One of the first people I ever truly admired as a kid. The last time I saw him we promised we’d get beers together next time we saw each other. The next time will have to be on the other side, my friend! Rest in peace.”
Hogan’s support of Trump did not go down well with all wrestling fans, but he also faced other controversies.
The gossip website Gawker posted a video in 2012 of him having sex with his former best friend’s wife.
Hogan sued on privacy grounds and was awarded a $140m judgement in 2016.
A year earlier he was suspended by the WWE after another secret recording revealed that Hogan had used a racial slur.
He was reinstated in 2018.
The making of a pop culture phenomenon
Born in the US state of Georgia in August 1953, Hogan played bass guitar in local bands before getting involved in the wrestling scene in Florida in the 1970s.
The young wrestler, who later admitted to taking anabolic steroids during his career, gained notoriety as his biceps turned into what he dubbed the “24-inch pythons.”
The “Hulk” moniker came from comparisons to the comic-book hero portrayed on TV at the time.
He would end up paying royalties to Marvel Comics for years.
“Hogan” was the invention of promoter Vince McMahon, the owner of what was then called the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), who wanted Irish representation among his stable of stars.
He was married three times and had two children.
In an update at 1.47pm local time (6.47pm UK time), Clearwater Police Major Nate Burnside said there were “no signs of foul play or suspicious activity” in relation to Hogan’s death.
He added that Hogan’s family are being supported.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
His death came just weeks after he reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates – Tony Iommi, Terence “Geezer” Butler and Bill Ward – and performed a huge farewell concert for fans.
The band paid tribute to him on Instagram by sharing an image of Osbourne on stage at the farewell gig in Birmingham and writing “Ozzy Forever”.
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Iommi, the band’s lead guitarist, said he was in disbelief at the news.
“It’s just such heartbreaking news that I can’t really find the words, there won’t ever be another like him. Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother.”
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Watch: Ozzy’s last concert
Butler, Black Sabbath’s bassist and primary lyricist, thanked Osbourne for “all those years – we had some great fun”.
He said: “Four kids from Aston – who’d have thought, eh? So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston. Love you.”
Image: Osbourne with his wife Sharon during the 46th Annual Grammy Awards. Pic: AP
Sir Elton John described Osbourne as his “dear friend” and a “huge trailblazer” who “secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods”.
“He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met,” the singer wrote on Instagram.
Ronnie Wood, of The Rolling Stones, wrote: “I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham.”
Born John Michael Osbourne on 3 December 1948 in Aston, Birmingham, he became known as the godfather of heavy metal.
The self-styled Prince of Darkness pioneered the music genre with Black Sabbath before going on to have huge success in his own right.
He was famous for hits including Iron Man, Paranoid, War Pigs, Crazy Train and Changes, both with the band and as a solo star.
Legendary American heavy metal band Metallica shared an image of them with Osbourne from 1986 along with an emoji of a broken heart.
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Posting on Instagram, Sir Rod Stewart said: “Sleep well, my friend. I’ll see you up there – later rather than sooner.”
Queen guitarist Sir Brian May said he was “grateful I was able to have a few quiet words” with Osbourne after his farewell show at Villa Park three weeks ago.
He said the world will miss the singer’s “unique presence and fearless talent”.