Sep 23 2023 News

'He’s [Fury] very tricky with his glove. I think he cheats.' - Says Francis Ngannou Before the Ultimate Fury vs Ngannou Shoowdown

Former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, is determined to ensure fairness in his upcoming Fury vs Ngannou fight against Tyson Fury scheduled for October 28 in Saudi Arabia, voicing concerns about potential glove-tampering by Fury. Ngannou shared his worries during an appearance on the JRE MMA Show with Joe Rogan, remarking that Fury is tricky with his gloves, and went on to accuse him of cheating. Ngannou referenced allegations made by Deontay Wilder, a three-time opponent of Fury, who had previously claimed, without substantiation, that Fury had loaded his gloves during their rematch in February 2020. Derek Chisora, another previous opponent, also claimed that Fury had cut his glove to land an eye poke in one of their matches.

“He’s very tricky with his glove. I think he cheats.”

While discussing these concerns with his team, Ngannou emphasized the need to check every glove meticulously before Fury vs Ngannou . He expressed dissatisfaction with relying solely on the U.K. commission's check on the gloves, insisting on additional scrutiny. Despite the Nevada Athletic Commission clearing Fury of any wrongdoing in the past, Ngannou remains apprehensive, advocating for either a bare-knuckle fight or thorough verification of the gloves used.

“We are talking about it with the team, and they’re like, ‘Oh, there’s the U.K. commission with the gloves,’” Ngannou said. “I’m like, ‘Bro, we’re going to get there, we need every glove to be checked.” “You don’t tell me about this commission, ‘Oh, the gloves get to be checked,’” Ngannou continued. “If you want us to fight bare hands, bare-knuckle, let’s go bare-knuckle. But don’t give me 10-ounce gloves and wear 8-ounce or 6-ounce gloves because he has no protection. No.”

Joe Rogan challenged Ngannou’s claims, questioning the evidence behind them and disputing fan-made videos suggesting that Fury had manipulated his gloves. Ngannou maintained that double-checking was necessary, given that multiple people, including Fury’s past opponents, have raised concerns about his gloves.

“But his opponent complains about his gloves,” Ngannou replied. “It might not be [true], but we have to check that. ... I think we have nothing to lose by double-checking, because it’s been more than once that people talk about his gloves, and even his opponents.” “I’m sure they talk about it,” Rogan said. “[Fury] kicks their ass.” “But in the boxing world, you have to worry about everything,” Ngannou said. “If somebody says something in boxing, you better double-check.”

Ngannou, transitioning to boxing after a successful MMA career and rejecting a new contract from UFC, has signed a profitable deal with the PFL. He is set to make $10 million from the Fury vs Ngannou fight, which will be available on ESPN+ pay-per-view. The Fury vs Ngannou match came into fruition after a potential bout between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk fell through, leading Fury to shift his focus to Ngannou. Francis Ngannou is firm on his stance, emphasizing the importance of precaution and scrutiny in boxing, particularly when there have been recurring allegations or complaints from different quarters.