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Tyson Fury wanted a tune-up fight. “The Gypsy King” likes to take on some less-than-serious contenders between actually fighting the best in the world. When Francis Ngannou entered free agency and the boxing scene, Fury saw an opportunity to book a tune-up fight and score a massive paycheck in the process.
What could go wrong?
Nobody told Ngannou was there to help Fury shake off some rust. “The Predator” dropped Fury in the third round, wailed on him on several other occasions, and generally left him bruised and bloodied. It was a difficult, challenging fight for the lineal Heavyweight champion of the world, and he’s going to need some time to heal.
Consequently, his planned super fight versus Oleksandr Usyk isn’t happening on December 23. It’ll still go down in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but the two are now planning to clash sometime in February according to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger.
In defense of “The Gypsy King,” he openly didn’t want the Dec. 23 date booked or announced prior to the Ngannou fight. He explained that the announcement was out of his hands, and that the promoters had the power in making that call. Now, those same promoters have moved the date backward a couple months.
In truth, it may be in Fury’s best interest. He didn’t look well-conditioned against Ngannou, nor did he appear ready for Ngannou’s Southpaw tactics. Now, Usyk is a vastly different boxer than “The Predator,” and Fury likely was planning to come in sharper anyway, but perhaps its best that he has an extra eight-to-ten weeks to prepare.
Insomnia
Is Tatsuro Taira the best unranked Flyweight prospect? I’m excited to see him back.
If you’re into business plans, numbers, and charts, this new UFC information is for you!
Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing Roman Dolidze fight this December. Maybe Jared Cannonier’s injury isn’t too severe, and the two can be rebooked before too long.
Boxers will never like low kicks. That’s true in MMA fighters who like to box, but Deontay Wilder seems especially vulnerable …
Eddie Hearn on talk of Deontay Wilder vs Francis Ngannou in an MMA fight: “I’m not being funny, but have you seen his legs? If Francis Ngannou kicked Deontay Wilder’s legs, they would literally snap in half.” [@MMAFighting]
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) October 31, 2023
Mike Perry is the latest fighter to start his own promotion.
Alex Pereira and Gregory Rodrigues sparring is exactly what you would expect it to look like. Technical scraps!
Slips, rips, and KO clips
If the 1-2, pull, 1-2 could stop Jose Aldo (as seen in the Max Holloway fights), it probably works well against most other fighters too! A great example here:
These leg attacks that crank across the knee like this are disgustingly effective and on the rose.
Two names I haven’t thought about in a long, long time.
Random Land
I didn’t realize crashing into a whale was something one could just walk away from.
Midnight Music: Hip-hop, 2016
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
