Francis Ngannou agrees to Tyson Fury’s special rules boxing bout: ‘What else?’

Francis Ngannou is more than happy to accept all of Tyson Fury’s special stipulations for a “super” fight later this year.

Fury clearly understands that the public has gotten a bit bored with watching washed former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters cross over into boxing to get their clocks cleaned. Conor McGregor pioneered the concept in 2017, and then Jake Paul ran it into the ground over the last two years. At this point we all know what the end result will be, which may be why “The Gypsy King” decided to spice up the presentation of a potential fight with Ngannou.

“If the Usyk fight don’t get done, we’ll be looking at Francis Ngannou for the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ title,” Fury told Boxxer in a recent interview. “I’m sure the WBC can make that up for me. What I ws thinking is we do four ounce gloves in a cage under Queensberry rules with a badass referee like Mike Tyson. That would be an epic night and I’m sure everyone would enjoy it as much as I would.

“He’d keep me on my toes though because he’s a big lump, isn’t he?” Fury continued. “He can bang, he’s supposed to be the hardest punching human on the planet. I’m up for it. Listen, he can’t punch any harder than Wilder, anyway, can he?”

Ngannou recently replied to Fury, agreeing to all those terms.

“Four ounce gloves, check. Cage, check. Mike Tyson as referee, check. Queensberry rules, check. What else?” Ngannou wrote, signing his tweet “Baddest man on the planet.”

While Tyson was dubbed the “Baddest Man on the Planet” during his 1990s prime, it’s become a term to describe the top combat sports Heavyweight in the world. Fedor Emelianenko was considered the “Baddest Man on the Planet” for years, and over the last decade, that title has gone to UFCs Heavyweight champion.

Ngannou was the “Baddest Man on the Planet” while holding the UFC strap, and it’s going to be hard for the promotion to claw that name away from him. Especially if Fury snatches it very publicly in a special rules boxing bout.

Do any of these conditions give Ngannou a better chance of beating Fury?

Well, the four-ounce mixed martial arts (MMA) gloves certainly increase his chances of a knockout. They also take away a lot of defensive stances boxers use when wearing standard gloves. The cage is also very different than a ring. There’s no give against the cage versus ropes, and it changes how a fighter has to move to avoid getting stuck in a corner.

Even Tyson as special referee theoretically helps Ngannou, as “Iron Mike” might be more willing to let Ngannou and Fury fight their way through positions than a typical boxing referee.

Would that change the outcome considering Fury is one of the best boxers in the world and Ngannou has never professionally boxed? Probably not. But, it turns the fight into a spectacle, which is all we’re really looking for as far as this bout goes.

Would you not be entertained?