In a moment that sent the combat sports community wild, Francis Ngannou sent shockwaves through the world of combat sports when he managed to drop Tyson Fury in the third round of their ten-round bout.
Despite the unexpected knockdown, Fury rallied, successfully making the count and ultimately securing a split decision victory. However, the bout left many questioning Fury’s performance and level of preparation.
Debates have ensued about the extent to which Fury was ready for the fight, with numerous pundits suggesting that he may not have taken it as seriously as he should have. On the contrary, Fury himself has asserted that he underwent one of the most rigorous training camps in recent memory. Yet, in an interesting revelation during an interview with IFL TV, Martin Bakole, a regular sparring partner of Fury’s, offered a different perspective.
Was Tyson Fury Under Prepared for Francis Ngannou?
“To be honest, I was in Tyson Fury’s camp. If you watch my interview [at the event] when people are asking me, I was saying I will not be surprised to see Ngannou drop Tyson Fury because, to be honest, Tyson was not 100% focused in the gym. For me, my opinion is the signed contract with Usyk affected his mind for the Ngannou fight.”
Bakole went on to describe that Fury’s training sessions lacked the usual intensity seen in his preparations for previous opponents:
“I’ve never seen Tyson training like that. He was doing four rounds, six rounds in the gym for sparring … Maybe he’s watching this and knows he wasn’t 100% focused. That’s not the Tyson Fury I know when he was preparing for Klitschko, Chisora, and Dillian Whyte. This was different.”
Despite Bakole’s observations, Fury himself has labeled the Ngannou bout as one of the toughest challenges he has faced in years. Interestingly, he has refrained from attributing his struggles that night to a lack of preparation.
Currently entrenched in a training camp for his upcoming undisputed bout against Oleksandr Usyk on February 17, Fury faces a crucial test that demands elite preparation if he aims to secure victory and claim all four belts. The significance of this upcoming fight is massive for Fury’s forever growing legacy in the world of boxing.
Meanwhile, Ngannou will now face off with British superstar Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia in March.
Do you think Tyson Fury was under prepared when he fought former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou? Let us know in the comments!
