'Ridiculed' - Tyson Fury makes Manchester United comparison ahead of Francis Ngannou fight

Manchester United fan Tyson Fury has admitted he faces potential ridicule in his upcoming fight with Francis Ngannou.

The WBC heavyweight champion will be stepping into the ring later this month (October 28) for a crossover bout that few could have predicted earlier in the year. Former UFC champion Ngannou, who holds a world record for his punching power, will make his boxing debut in an exhibition bout with the ‘Gypsy King’.

It is set to be a busy few months for Fury, who recently agreed to face Oleksandr Usyk in the first undisputed heavyweight championship fight since 1999. The fight will take place in Saudi Arabia as part of Riyadh season, which runs until the end of March, though reports suggest the pair could face off on December 23 or sometime in January.

First up for Fury is navigating the threat posed by Ngannaou, The fight emerged after previous talks with Usyk fell through and the WBC champion has compared the possibility of defeat with United being humiliated by Liverpool.

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"The biggest risk of all is, fighting a MMA fighter and I'm the world heavyweight champion," Fury told TNT Sport’S Rio Ferdinand. "So what happens if he beats me? Ridiculed. It would be like getting beat by Liverpool for Manchester United, 7-0, wouldn't it? How do you come back from that?"

Many boxing fans and pundits have criticised Fury’s decision to fight Ngannou, especially prior to the announcement of his undisputed clash with Usyk. However, Fury insists that he is preparing for Ngannou in the same way that he has for any of the other fighters he