BRUISED TYSON FURY EDGES PAST FRANCIS NGANNOU

Francis Ngannou knocked down the “Gypsy King” Tyson Fury during the third round of their bout. (Photo: ESPN)

In a highly-anticipated crossover fight, WBC heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury faced off against former UFC fighter Francis Ngannou in a non-title bout in Saudi Arabia. The contest ended in a controversial split decision victory for Fury, leaving fans on social media divided on the outcome.

Despite being the undefeated holder of one of boxing's most prestigious titles, Fury found himself in a tough battle against a 37-year-old opponent who had never before ventured into professional boxing. The fight went the full 10 rounds, with Ngannou showing impressive boxing skills.

The turning point of the match came in the third round when Ngannou managed to drop Fury with a powerful left hook. Although Fury survived the round, he acknowledged that the fight was far more challenging than he had anticipated.

Fury was declared the winner by a split decision, with two of the three judges scoring in his favor (96-93 and 95-94). The third judge awarded the fight to Ngannou with a 95-94 score. This decision left many fans and observers questioning the result, with some even suggesting that the fight might have been fixed.

Fury, who had visible damage to his face, including a black eye and a cut on his forehead, expressed respect for Ngannou's skills and noted that this was one of his toughest fights in the last decade. There was no immediate rematch clause in the contract, but Fury indicated a desire to face Ngannou again "down the line," following an undisputed title fight with Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk.

Despite the controversy surrounding the decision, the bout between Fury and Ngannou will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most surprising and intriguing crossovers in recent combat sports history.