Tyson Fury says Francis Ngannou should be ‘thanking him’ for giving him the biggest pay day of his career; watch Ngannou fight Anthony Joshua live on Sky Sports Box Office on Friday March 8; scroll down for booking information – how and when to book via remote or online
Tyson Fury insists he will handle business against Oleksandr Usyk before finally facing Anthony Joshua in one of British boxing’s most eagerly-awaited contests – providing his heavyweight rival comes through Friday’s test against Francis Ngannou.
Fury will meet Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on the rescheduled date of May 18 after the pair’s initial bout was postponed due to a cut sustained by the Gypsy King in camp.
The WBC champion has suggested the pair would then meet in a prospective rematch before facing the winner of Joshua’s clash with Ngannou, who Fury beat by split decision back in October.
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“Turki (Turki Al-Sheikh, chair of General Authority for Entertainment in Saudi Arabia) said the winner of this fight will get a shot at the winner of mine and Usyk’s rematch,” Fury told Sky Sports.
“Me and Usyk have two fights lined up this year so the winner of that fight will get to fight the winner of this fight.
“There’s a lot on the line. When you’re a world heavyweight contender or whatever he (Joshua) is these days, there’s a lot of risk and not much reward other than money, which he has a lot of.”
Joshua lost his world titles to Usyk in a unanimous decision defeat at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in October 2021, before coming up shy again despite a much-improved performance in the pair’s rematch the following year.
He has since won three straight fights including devastating stoppage victories over Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin to reignite his mission to become a three-time champion.
“He’s been busted by Usyk a couple of times already, we all saw that,” Fury continued. “He just doesn’t have the guy’s number, leave him to me, the sad little man I’ll slay him, twice if he wants it, leave him to the GK (Gypsy King).
“Then the Battle of Britain we can get on if he gets past this big fella (Ngannou), which is not a formality because he’s a big man who can punch. Knockout chaos is definitely a great game.”
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Fury was dealt a scare in October when he was floored by a stunning left hand from MMA star Ngannou in the third-round of their 10-round contest.
It was the flashpoint to a hugely-accomplished boxing debut from the former UFC heavyweight champion, who impressed enough to earn his way to another marquee fight night against Joshua.
Fury confronted Ngannou on Tuesday over comments suggesting he was a ‘coward’, before the pair exchanged heated words again at Wednesday’s press conference.
“He should be thanking me really,” said Fury. “Through all his UFC career he made about a million dollars and he made six or seven against me so he should be thanking me.
“Instead I’ve had to tell him off in front of a load of people because he’s having a lot to say on camera after I gave him his biggest pay day. He’s ungrateful.”
Fury also spared praise for his opponent, warning Joshua of the brick wall that lies in wait on Friday night.
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“We all know it was a s*** performance, I’m not going to make an excuses because I never do,” said Fury.
“I don’t know how good he was. What I do know is I hit him with some good punches and I hit him with an elbow right in the face and it never budged him.
“I don’t know how good at boxing he is or how strong he is, but I know I was hitting him with full force punches with 10oz gloves on and he didn’t budge anywhere.”
Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight showdown with Francis Ngannou takes place on Friday March 8, live on Sky Sports Box Office with the main event expected around 11pm.
The event will start at 4pm, Friday March 8 on Sky Sports Box Office (Sky channel 491) and Sky Sports Box Office HD (Sky channel 492). The event is priced at £19.95 for Sky customers in the UK, €24.95 for Sky customers in the Republic of Ireland up until midnight on Thursday March 7.
Thereafter £19.95/€24.95 across all “self-service” bookings (remote control/online) or £24.95 / €29.95 if booked via the phone (either IVR or agent) but note an additional £2 booking fee if via an agent will apply.
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The event price will revert back to £19.95 / €24.95 (ROI) from midnight Friday March 8. Two repeat showings (full duration) will be shown at 6am and 4pm on Saturday March 9.
