Fury v Ngannou: Start time, undercard, how to watch it – and why the cross-over fight is happening
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.
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.
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.
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.
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How to watch the coverage
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?
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.”
Entertainment
Quincy Jones: Oprah Winfrey, Elton John and Barack Obama among famous figures paying tribute to music legend
Oprah Winfrey, Sir Elton John and Barack Obama among the famous figures who have paid tribute to Quincy Jones following his death at the age of 91.
Following the announcement of his death on Monday, a string of friends, collaborators and admirers have been speaking out to praise the music producer and composer.
TV host Oprah Winfrey said her life “changed forever for the better” after meeting Jones as he helped secure her role in the 1985 film adaptation of The Colour Purple, which earned her an Oscar nomination.
Jones, the jazz musician known for collaborating with the likes of Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson, wrote the film score and also co-produced the film.
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Quincy Jones dies aged 91
Winfrey wrote on Instagram: “My beloved Q. The world’s beloved Q. The one and only Quincy Jones ‘discovered’ me for The Color Purple movie in 1985. My life changed forever for the better after meeting him.
“I had never experienced, nor have since, anyone who’s heart was so filled with love.
“He walked around with his heart wide open, and he treated everybody as if they were the most important person he’d ever met. He was the Light. No shadows.
“He was love lived out loud in human form and he was the first person I ever loved unconditionally.”
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10 things about Quincy Jones
Whoopi Goldberg, who was also in The Colour Purple, also wrote on Instagram: “I was lucky enough to have him in my life for all these years.
“My heart is breaking for his friends and his extended family who loved and adored him… my condolences.”
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Quincy Jones’s best-known collaborations
Former US president Barack Obama, who honoured Jones with the US National Medal of Arts in 2010, said: “For decades, Quincy Jones was music.
“From producing Thriller, to composing the score for The Color Purple, to working with Frank Sinatra to Ray Charles, it seemed like every big record – and every big film – had Quincy’s name on it.
“His music appealed to listeners of every race and every age. And by building a career that took him from the streets of Chicago to the heights of Hollywood, Quincy paved the way for generations of Black executives to leave their mark on the entertainment business.”
Barack Obama honoured Quincy Jones with the US National Medal of Arts in 2010. Pic: Reuters
He added: “Michelle and I send our thoughts to Quincy’s friends, family, and everyone who has lived their lives to his songs.”
Sir Elton John remembered Jones as someone who had a more “incredible” career in music than anyone else.
He shared a photo with him at the Elton John Aids Foundation Oscar viewing party, and called him a “loyal supporter of this important fundraiser”.
The singer added: “Nobody had a career as incredible as Quincy Jones. He played with the best and he produced the best. What a guy. Loved him.”
Rapper Ice T hailed Jones as a “genius”, while US Grammy-winner Lenny Kravitz said he was “speechless”, but added: “What a life. What an expression of authenticity. What a teacher. I am humbled that I was given the gift of your openness and friendship”.
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Singers react to death of ‘hero’ Quincy Jones
Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland thanked Jones for being “such a wonderful teacher” and creating the soundtrack to “some of the most extraordinary moments” in her life.
Jones also helped to launch and was an executive producer on the popular US sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, starring Will Smith.
Jones with his daughter, actress Rashida Jones, and Will Smith in 2007. Pic: Reuters
Smith said: “Quincy Jones is the true definition of a mentor, a father and a friend. He pointed me toward the greatest parts of myself. He defended me. He nurtured me.
“He encouraged me. He inspired me. He checked me when he needed to. He let me use his wings until mine were strong enough to fly.”
Chic co-founder Nile Rodgers, who was friends with Jones, shared a video that said “Rest In Power Quincy Jones. The Greatest of All Time”.
Peter Hook, the bassist and co-founder of Joy Division and New Order, wrote on social media: “It’s so sad to hear about Quincy Jones. When he signed us to his label, he made us feel so welcome – inviting us to dinner at his home every time we were in town.
“He made us big in America. He was so humble & sweet that you immediately fell in love with him.”
Hook added: “And to this day I still got a lovely message from him every year on Christmas and birthday cards! A musical genius and a great, lovely man.”
Amy Dowden will not take part in the rest of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
The professional dancer made a return to the celebrity contest this series after undergoing treatment for breast cancer and had been partnered with JLS star JB Gill.
However, the 34-year-old has now had to pull out of the competition due to a foot injury.
In a statement on Instagram, she said: “I’m so sad, so upset and asking why me, why now that our journey has been cut short.
“My heart right now is breaking having to pull out of the competition due to a foot injury.”
Dowden added: “I know only too well ‘this too shall pass’ and I’ll be soon better and back dancing. Something I’ve had to get used to in my life. I’m sure at some point we will dance again JB.
“To all the fans, to my loved ones, my strictly family thank you.”
JB Gill and Amy Dowden. Pic: BBC/Ray Burmiston
A spokeswoman for Strictly added: “Sadly, Amy Dowden MBE will not be partaking in the rest of the competition this year.
“Whilst Amy focuses on her recovery following a foot injury, fellow professional dancer Lauren Oakley will step in as JB’s dance partner.
“The health and wellbeing of everyone involved in Strictly are always the utmost priority. The whole Strictly family sends Amy love and well wishes.”
The news was first announced on Monday evening during the show’s spin-off programme Strictly: It Takes Two.
Lauren Oakley partnered with Krishnan Guru-Murthy last year.
Pic: PA
Dowden was taken ill during the live show the previous weekend and missed the Sunday results programme.
She was taken to hospital from the BBC show’s production centre, Elstree Studios, as a “precaution” after “feeling unwell”, a spokesman for Dowden said at the time.
Last year, Dowden found a lump in her breast while on her honeymoon in the Maldives with fellow professional dancer Ben Jones, and was unable to compete on Strictly.
After treatment for stage three breast cancer, she announced in February that tests showed she had “no evidence of disease“.
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Dowden was made an MBE in this year’s New Year’s honours list for services to fundraising and raising awareness of Crohn’s. She was diagnosed with the disease as a teenager and is a UK ambassador for the charity Crohn’s and Colitis.
She was also admitted to hospital in Manchester following a Crohn’s flare-up during the 2022 Strictly live tour.
Dowden also said in her statement that in the past few months she had “finally felt like me again”.
She added: “Cancer was no longer the first thing I thought of when I woke up. It was choreography, music choices, which dances in which order, what we needed to work on. I felt free again.
“My goal since hearing those words you have cancer was to get back on the strictly dance floor. It’s been such a challenge to get back.”
Dowden also praised JB Gill for being the “perfect partner” on the dancefloor.
“I know you and Lauren will continue to ace that dance floor. I’ll forever be your biggest cheerleader,” she added.
Quincy Jones, the music producer and composer, has died at the age of 91.
Jones worked with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and many other artists.
Among his best-known credits was as the producer of Jackson’s historic Thriller album.
Jones oversaw the all-star recording of the 1985 charity record We Are The World.
He also composed the soundtrack to the hit 1969 British film The Italian Job, starring Michael Caine.
Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones. Pic: Ralph Dominguez/MediaPunch /IPX/AP
Naomi Campbell, left, and Claudia Schiffer flank Quincy Jones. Pic: AP
His publicist, Arnold Robinson, confirmed Jones died at his Los Angeles home on Sunday surrounded by his family.
In a statement, his family said: “Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’s passing.
“And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. Pic: AP
Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton. Pic: Ralph Dominguez/MediaPunch /IPX/AP
His family added Jones was “truly one of a kind” who they would “miss dearly”.
“We take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created,” they added.
“Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’s heart will beat for eternity.”
His career, which spans more than 75 years, saw him achieve 28 Grammy award wins out of 80 nominations.
He was named one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century by Time magazine.
Lionel Richie, who co-wrote We Are The World and was among the charity single’s featured singers, called Jones “the master orchestrator”.
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Jones, a father of seven, was married three times to Jeri Caldwell, Ulla Andersson and Peggy Lipton.
His children include music producer Quincy Jones III and actress Rashida Jones, known for Parks And Recreation and the US version of The Office.
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