During the highly anticipated boxing match in Saudi Arabia, Tyson Fury’s elbow strike on Francis Ngannou raised eyebrows. Many in the audience as well as critics were taken aback by this unexpected move, as it wasn’t a scenario most had envisioned in the late October showdown.
Additionally, few believed Francis Ngannou stood a chance against Fury which made the split decision win quite controversial. Ngannou’s striking coach Dewey Cooper now contemplates how the bout might have unfolded had the referee addressed Fury’s illegal maneuver.
Luke Thomas of Morning Kombat recently interviewed Dewey Cooper after the Fury vs. Ngannou showdown. He is convinced that Fury executed the illegal move deliberately. Cooper asserts that the elbow strike should not be dismissed in the assessment of the fight’s outcome.
CR7 AND TYSON FURY WITH AN ELBOW? #furyvsngannou #furyvsngannou pic.twitter.com/9xNpsvPEa1
— ¥$ – Follow @DeadleyAlli (@DeadleyAlli) October 28, 2023
Cooper went on to say, “One hundred percent [Fury’s elbow was intentional. That shows the frustration. When things aren’t going as easy or as cool as you thought, these type of things happen. It was a mark of frustration. I’m disappointed the referee didn’t even say anything or penalize him for it because that really made a difference in the fight.”
He then continued: “I still had Francis winning two, three, four, eight, 10. Seven was close. You penalize him with the elbow, we win that round too. I had him winning five to six rounds, and with the knockdown we got it. So, it should’ve been 96-94, or 95-94 for us.”
When it comes to Francis Ngannou’s future opponents, coach Dewey Cooper stated his confidence in the former UFC heavyweight’s capabilities regardless of the opposition.
“Any of ’em ’cause we’re gonna devise a plan and be ready, but I definitely love an Anthony Joshua fight. I definitely love that fight, and you know, Deontay Wilder that’s a good fight also, but honestly, real champions see no faces.”