Fury Beats Ngonnou In Controversial Decision

Saudi Arabia, the new home to world boxing, was agog Saturday night for the much awaited Fury-Ngonnou bout. It could not have been less as the encounter saw untested Cameroonian open a cut on the face of favoured World Boxing Council, WBC, heavyweight champion before landing a blistering left hook that sent the Gypsy king rolling on the canvass. 

Yet, the WBC champion got a split 2-1 verdict, one that was adjudged controversial given the wake of scathing comments it received after it was announced.

At the end of the 10-round bout, the judges put the scores at 95/94 for the Cameroonian boxing greenhorn, 96/93 and 95/94 for the Gypsy king. 

Post fight statistics from Compubox further heightened the negative reaction to the judges decision. According to stats, the experienced world heavy boxing champion threw 223 punches, out which 71 hit target. From the other end, Ngonnou, a boxing novice, threw 231 punches and landed 51, one of which opened a cut on the champion's face, another dropping him on the canvass.

Compubox also reported that the Cameroonian landed 5 more power punches than Fury. 

The controversy did not go unnoticed before the media as a number of major headlines indicate. They include:

"Fury Survives Knockdown In Controversial Points Win Over Ngannou", "Controversial Split Decision Sees Tyson Fury Beat Boxing Novice Francis Ngannou", "Fury Knocked Down In Round Three But Able To Continue" and "Fury Maintains Undefeated Record But Lucky To Win Contest On Points".

A number of boxing greats who watched the encounter were no less benumbed by the night's decision. Former British International Boxing Organization, IBO Super Middleweight champion, Chris Eubank Jnr. disagreed firmly with the judges, insisting that his assessment from his vintage ringside seat left no doubt in his mind that Ngonnou won the fight. 

“Watching from ringside I thought Ngannou won the fight. It was close but he was the aggressor, landed heavier shots & scored a knockdown,” he wrote on his X handle.

Boxing superstar, Canelo Alvarez, reacted in a very classic manner. His reaction came in the form of an embarrassed face emoji he shared on his X handle with 2.4 million followers.

Connor McGregor, was diplomatic in his assessment. He however, left no one in any doubt about who he thought was the better fighter of the night.

McGregor who disagreed with the claim that Ngonnou's swinger that sent Fury to the canvass was fortuitous because it landed on the back of the champion's head, insisted that it was a finely tuned left hook delivered appropriately. 

"I don’t accept that at all. It was a really well-placed left hook.

“Lovely shot, it caught him on the back of the head but fair play to Tyson, he’s a strong man. Francis is so strong too, though, and Tyson just couldn’t hurt him

“Jesus, Francis is a powerful boy. Tyson could not hurt him.” McGregor said.

Jake Paul, the NMA fighter-turn boxer, was less charitable. 

 “MMA fighters are easy boxing work??? Shut the f*** up", adding, “Split decision…feels familiar.”

Emphatically, Paul summed his assessment of the night's decision without mincing words 

“Tyson Fury lost and the boxing commentary biased af dumbasses they need to learn how to box.”

A boxing enthusiast simply identified as Gunner L noted the generally unsaid reason for the controversial decision. 

“There is no way boxing could allow Ngannou to win. His first ever fight beating the heavyweight champion? Boxing would dismantle overnight. It was never going to be anything but a Fury win. Francis, thank you! You have been the brightest spark in this murky underhanded business of boxing this year. Sadly the guy at the other end of the ring represents all that is wrong with the sport.”

From the Gypsy King himself, it was a relieving win, whatever way it came. 

“That definitely wasn’t in the script. 

“He’s a hell of a figher and a hell of a lot better boxer than we thought he would be. He’s an awkward man and a good puncher and I respect him a lot.

“He was very awkward, he wasn’t coming forward and was waiting for me to throw. He’s given me one of my toughest fights of the last ten years. 

“I was caught behind the head for the knockdown. I got back up and got back to my boxing.

“I don’t know how close it was. I got the win and that’s what it is.”

Ngonnou'sv final take was class act in humility. 

"...I don’t want to give excuses. I will look at what I can do next to improve my game to come back even better," he said.

Win or not, Francis Ngannou has delivered an unambiguous message to the boxing world. The wolf is in the house.