Tyson Fury defeats Francis Ngannou in controversial decision after MMA fighter's knockdown

Francis Ngannou shocked the world on his professional boxing debut as Tyson Fury extended his unbeaten record.

The WBC champion was widely expected to breeze through the crossover bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, For many boxing fans, Fury’s main challenge was to prepare for his upcoming undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk.

Former UFC champion Ngannou had other ideas, though. The Cameroonian fighter, whose remarkable journey saw him live on the streets of Paris before discovering MMA, always dreamed of becoming a boxer and went toe-to-toe with arguably the best heavyweight in the world. He left the arena with a controversial split decision defeat, but also with the respect of the sporting world and a true sense of pride.

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The fight began with Fury switching stances as he attempted to avoid Ngannou’s power punches and awkward style. Ngannou repeatedly caught Fury around his right eye with a left hook and left the whole world in awe as he sent the WBC and lineal heavyweight champion to the canvas in round three.

Fury looked to rally through his use of the jab as he attempted to fight at range. There was a sense that it all came a little too late for the ‘Gypsy King’, though, with Ngannou continuing to land power shots. Prior to the first bell, the fight heading to the scorecards may have been considered a moral victory for Ngannou. That Fury’s split decision win was, in any way, contentious, is a triumph for the MMA star.

There are plenty of questions to be asked of the judges’ scorecards, particularly given Ngannou’s knockdown.