Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou shared a momentous reunion at the Joy Awards held in Riyadh’s prestigious venue, The Boulevard.This marked their first meeting since their intense Battle of the Baddest in Saudi Arabia the previous year.
Wearing a Navid Salimian suit, Fury couldn’t help but joke about Ngannou’s imposing size. He humorously remarked, “He’s a big fella isn’t he?” Meanwhile, the former UFC heavyweight champion grins and gave the camera a thumbs up.
The backdrop for this memorable reunion was the 2024 Joy Awards, organised by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. It is led by the visionary Turki AlAlShikh.
AlAlShikh is the mastermind behind events like the Battle of the Baddest, the Ring of Fire, and the Knockout Chaos. He has consistently brought together boxing’s biggest names in thrilling matchups.
Tyson Fury is set to face Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia on February 17. He aims to unify the heavyweight division for the first time since Lennox Lewis in 1999. Despite winning the Battle of the Baddest in a split decision against Ngannou, Fury acknowledges the need for a more convincing performance.
In the October 2023 clash, Fury faced fierce opposition from Ngannou. He landed a significant blow in the third round, momentarily flooring the WBC champion.
The MMA heavyweight was about to take a big left hook to the temple when Fury attempted a right hand, but Ngannou responded smartly and sent him tumbling to the ground.
Numerous fans believed that Ngannou had done enough to win the ten-round match and claimed that the Cameroonian had been “robbed” in order to save Fury’s matchup with Usyk in February.
Despite one of Fury’s less impressive performances, most boxing analysts felt that Fury was the legitimate victor of that match.
Ngannou’s exceptional performance against Fury solidified his status as an amazing heavyweight contender in boxing. This success has paved the way for a highly anticipated bout against Anthony Joshua on March 8 in Saudi Arabia.