Before the two compete in the squared circle next month, Francis Ngannou may want to take a closer look at Tyson Fury’s gloves.
Francis Ngannou is set to make his pro boxing debut after a two-year hiatus from the Octagon. In the lead-up to their highly anticipated showdown, he recently voiced apprehensions about Tyson Fury’s gloves. The two are scheduled to face each other on October 28. Ngannou suggests that Fury might be manipulating his gear to gain an unfair edge.
During an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Ngannou expressed his reservations. He stated, “Tyson’s gloves… He’s very tricky with his glove. I think he’s cheating. I’ve heard a lot of complaints about his gloves, that his gloves have no protection.”
Ngannou claims to have heard similar complaints from some of Fury’s biggest rivals, further fueling his suspicions. He stated: “Even when he fought Deontay Wilder, he complained about that,. Derek Chisora complained about that, and that’s what we’re talking about with the team, the U.K. commission and the gloves.”
“We’re going to get there, and we need every glove to get checked. You don’t tell me about this, commission. All the gloves get to be checked. If you want us to fight bare-knuckle, let’s go bare-knuckle, but don’t give me 10-ounce gloves, and he wears eight or six-ounce gloves because he has no protection”
While Joe Rogan contested Ngannou’s assertions, he emphasized that his team will take measures to guarantee a level playing field when the two heavyweights face off in Saudi Arabia. Ngannou is adamant that every glove must undergo thorough inspection.
This upcoming bout marks the first appearance for both combatants in 2023. Ngannou’s last outing was at UFC 270 in January 2022, where he successfully defended the heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane before parting ways with the promotion three months later.
In December 2022, Fury competed in a trilogy match with Derek Chisora. He secured a 10th-round TKO in a match that garnered limited attention.