Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou Will Fight In Saudi Arabia

Get our free mobile app

Tyson Fury, boxing's lineal heavyweight champion, and Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, will fight on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The announcement clarified that the fight will take place in a regulation boxing ring under boxing rules, including three ringside judges using the 10-point must system.

What remains unclear is the number of rounds, whether Fury's WBC heavyweight title will be on the line, and whether the fight will count toward their professional boxing records.

"I can't wait to get back out there under the lights," Fury said in a statement. "I'm looking forward to showing the world that The Gypsy King is the greatest fighter of his generation in an epic battle with another master of his craft."

"My dream was always to box, and to box the best," Ngannou said in his statement. "After becoming the undisputed MMA Heavyweight Champion, this is my opportunity to make that dream come true and cement my position as the baddest man on the planet."

Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) was in talks to meet Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship in April at London's Wembley Stadium, but negotiations collapsed in March.

Now, ESPN's No. 7 pound-for-pound boxer will meet one of the most recognizable names in combat sports in a star-studded event in the Middle East.

Ngannou (20-3-3 MMA record) last competed in January 2022, when he retained his UFC heavyweight championship with a unanimous-decision victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. That turned out to be Ngannou's final bout in the Octagon.