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Tyson Fury of England gets a cut over his right eye in a heavyweight boxing tune-up match against Otto Wallin of Sweden in Las Vegas in 2019, Photo: AP
Martial ArtsMixed Martial Arts

UFC: Francis Ngannou vs Tyson Fury fuel heavyweight super-fight rumours – ‘I’d smoke you in the first round’

  • ‘The Gypsy King’ says he would make ‘easy work’ of new UFC heavyweight champion after Joshua fight
  • ‘If this guy did this to you, what do you think I would do?’ Ngannou replies, citing Fury’s nasty cut from 2019
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
Andrew McNicol
Andrew McNicol
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UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou hinted he would inflict serious damage on two-time world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury after the Briton claimed he would “roast” him in a bout.

“The Gypsy King” Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs), who is in talks for a two-fight deal against two-time unified champion Anthony Joshua for the undisputed title in July, started the war of words with “The Predator” Ngannou in a tweet to retired boxing great Mike Tyson.

“[Mike Tyson] after I smash [Anthony Joshua] I’ll roast that guy also. [Francis Ngannou] easy work,” the 32-year-old wrote alongside a photo of Ngannou and Tyson shaking hands.

Ngannou (16-3), who became a UFC champion after beating Stipe Miocic via second-round TKO at UFC 260 in March, immediately responded with a photo of a badly cut Fury against Swedish boxer Otto Wallin in September 2019.
Though he won the fight via unanimous decision, the cut had caused several issues for Fury, almost caused a doctor’s stoppage, and became a target for his subsequent bouts against Deontay Wilder.

“If this guy did this to you, what do you think I would do?” the 34-year-old Cameroonian wrote. Former amateur boxer Ngannou is on a five-fight win streak, with four first-round TKOs. He has been receiving boxing tips from “Iron” Tyson after appearing on his podcast and said he inspires him

“You would do absolutely nothing I’d smoke you in the first round,” Fury replied via Instagram.

Fury has been spotted in what is presumably a Joshua training camp with Top Rank in the US. His last fight was a successful rematch against Wilder, in which he finished the American in the seventh round in February 2020. They fought to a split decision draw in 2018.
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