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Following his spectacular knockout of Dillian Whyte in the sixth round of their blockbuster event, Tyson Fury welcomed Francis Ngannou into the ring and announced his next potential matchup.
The UFC heavyweight champion has been at odds with Dana White and the MMA promotion for some time now. One of the reasons is their uninterest in making the crossover superfight between him and Fury happen. Although the company remains intent on signing him to another deal, the 35-year-old is free to do anything he wishes after seeing out his contract.
In an interview during Tyson Fury's post-fight celebrations, Ngannou was asked when he believed the bout would take place. He had this to say:
"Definitely sometime next year, 2023. That fight will happen because, by the end of this year, we're gonna sort it out and get settled, ready to go. The experience was great, being in a stadium like this... The vibe there was just electric."
The interviewer proceeded to question whether the mixed martial artist would prefer the meeting between the two titans to take place in Africa, prompting this response:
"Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou in Africa, that would be the best one. Rumble in the Jungle 2."
While Francis Ngannou must first figure out his plans with the UFC, both he and Fury will be able to discuss their proposed future bout without interference. This means that combat sports fans can expect the fantasy matchup to come to fruition.
Check out Ngannou's views on a fight with Fury in the video below:
How would Tyson Fury fare in the UFC?
Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou's planned hybrid-rules fight is reportedly going to be under boxing rules with 4 oz MMA gloves.
What if 'The Gypsy King' was asked to compete under MMA regulations?
If he was thrown into the heavyweight division and asked to fight his way to a title shot, the 33-year-old Fury would stand almost no chance at claiming UFC gold. However, due to his name value and the eyes he would bring to the sport, Dana White would more than likely put him in there with a favorable matchup for his style.
So, while the Brit wouldn't necessarily be a success story in MMA, he could, without a doubt, find himself getting his hand raised inside the octagon after schooling a pure boxer with his range, stiff jab, and devastating knockout power.
