Tyson Fury has ‘no excuses’ for Francis Ngannou showing but says he ‘clearly’ won controversial fight

Tyson Fury has refused to point the finger elsewhere for his underwhelming performance against Francis Ngannou.

The Gypsy King took on a novice in the boxing ring on Saturday night, with former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou making his professional debut. UFC president Dana White once claimed the 37-year-old hits as hard as a Ford Escort and Fury felt the full wrath of that power in Riyadh.

The Brit had to get off the canvas in the third round and rely on his jab as Ngannou fought way beyond his expected abilities. At the end of the bout, many believed one of the biggest shocks in boxing history was about to unfold and crush Fury’s dream of an undisputed showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.

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However, the WBC champion edged out a split decision - triggering boos from the star-studded Saudi Arabian crowd - to spare any blushes and maintain his unbeaten record. Fury took full responsibility for the showing while crediting Ngannou for giving him his “toughest” fight in years.

“It wasn’t the best performance but I’m not going to make any excuses,” Fury told IFL TV. “I had a good camp. There was no one else to blame - it was a tough fight. I had to get off the floor to win. There are no excuses. It was a below-par performance but take nothing away from the other man.

“You’re only as good as your opponent will let you be and that’s a fact. If I had listened to the media and so-called boxing experts, I wouldn’t have been able to win the fight. I didn’t underestimate him. I trained for 12 weeks, gave him the best preparation I could’ve