Tyson Fury Calls Out Francis Ngannou To A Boxing Match With MMA Gloves
This would be absolutely HUGE!
Two of the scariest men on the planet look set to lock horns with boxing's heavyweight champion Tyson Fury calling out the UFC's heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.
Fury has called upon UFC president Dana White to tee up the cross-code boxing match - but there's a catch.
Instead of lacing up the standard 12-ounce gloves for the proposed bout, Fury wants to throw hands with Ngannou in MMA mitts instead.
The Gypsy King tweeted: "Who would like to see me fight this beast boxing rules UFC gloves?"
He then tagged both White and Ngannou in the post too.
It didn't take long for Ngannou to respond, tweeting: "How about MMA rules with boxing gloves? I can do you that favour?"
On paper, the fight looks unreal, but even the mock-up poster from Fury's tweet is enough to get even boxing purists and MMA die-hards out of their seat.
The teaser comes amid a growing feud between the UFC heavyweight champion and his employers.
It's understood contract negotiations have reached stalemate between Ngannou and the UFC, with neither party budging on their stance.
It means the Cameroonian heavy-hitter's upcoming title defence against Ciryl Gane could very well be his last in the promotion unless a deal is struck.
And with one foot seemingly out the door, Ngannou could soon become the hottest free agent prospect on the market, although there's already a load of potential suitors sticking their hands up to pinch him.
That said, a spell inside a ring - rather than a steel cage - is what seems to be catching Ngannou's eye most at the moment.
"It's always been down the line. This is something I'm not taking my eyes off of," he told TMZ.
"It's gonna happen, either way. Even if, when the UFC and I finalise a deal, the boxing part has to be into it because I can't see myself retire without boxing.
"Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder. I would like to test myself to that level. It's not the same sport, although I'm the champion, I'm in the top in this division.
"At the end of the day, it's just about like trained hands, trained punches, having a good delivery system to produce bombs and I'm sure that if I deliver my own punch, it's pretty good, I can make some damage."
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Tyson Fury, Boxing, Heavyweight, UFC, Francis Ngannou, Australia, MMA, Dana White, Tyson Fury, Boxing, Heavyweight, UFC, Francis Ngannou, Australia, MMA, Dana White
Max Sherry