Francis Ngannou reacts to split decision loss to Tyson Fury: 'Now I know I can do this s***'

29/10/2023 14:00

Francis Ngannou came within a round of defeating heavyweight boxing king Tyson Fury, but there's little doubt he walked away with a moral victory after a razor-close split decision.

Over 10 rounds, the former UFC heavyweight champion hung with Fury in every exchange and even scored the only knockdown in the fight with a clubbing blow in the third round. Despite hanging tough, Ngannou lost the fight as two judges gave Fury the nod, but his performance instilled a whole new confidence in the former UFC heavyweight champ.

"I feel great, I feel fantastic, I'm very happy" Ngannou said post-fight. "It didn't go my way. I want to thank ... the kingdom of Saudi Arabia for giving me this opportunity to prove people wrong one more time again.

"I'm just a fighter and I'm ready to fight any time soon. We can run it back again and I'm sure I'm going to get better. This was my first boxing match. Great experience. I'm not giving any excuse. I know I came up short but I'm going to go back and work harder. With a little more experience next time, a little more feeling of the game, and come back even stronger. Because, at first, I was a little nervous. This new sport that I never did, that I don't really feel it, now I know I can do this s***. Now, baby, get ready. A wolf is in the house. I'm going to bite some s***."

Ngannou set foot in the ring as a massive betting underdog. Most pundits expected Fury to toy with him before delivering a fight-ending knockout. Instead, it was Ngannou who surprised Fury early and often with not only his punching power, but also an overall boxing skill set that confused and confounded the 35-year-old Manchester native.

By the time the fight made it into the final round, live betting odds actually had Ngannou as the favorite, although he still came up just short in the split decision.

"Listen, I'm not giving any excuses," Ngannou said. "I worked hard, I give my best and I know that I can work harder. I know myself. I know my dedication and I'm going to go back, work in the gutter with my team and look at what we can do next to improve our game and come back harder again.

"Because tonight was a fear of the water, and I know the temperature of the water now. I'm getting ready to come here and take over."

There's been almost universal praise heaped upon Ngannou's shoulders for his stunning performance on Saturday, although it still doesn't replace his desire to win.

He came close, but Ngannou still ended the night with a loss on his record.

"I really intended to come here and go home with the victory," Ngannou said. "I wanted the victory. The proof wasn't just to come here and box and go home. It was to win. The 'W' is always sweet."

That being said, Ngannou couldn't ignore the awe-inspiring journey he took to end up in this position and nearly defeat the No. 1 heavyweight in boxing. From homeless on the streets of France to becoming UFC heavyweight champion and now nearly pulling off the upset of the century, Ngannou still holds his head up high after living out this latest dream.

"Tonight was about dedication, determination," Ngannou said. "Tonight was about hope. Tonight was about faith in myself, in my dream, in my goal. Tonight was to prove to all the doubters [they are wrong]. Tonight was to gain some self-belief in myself again. To continue as an athlete and try to get my name out there."