Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou boxing preview: Odds and betting picks

The US Sun

27 October 2023

Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou boxing preview: Odds and betting picks

IT'S been a long road but it’s finally happening: the current WBC heavyweight boxing champion of the world Tyson Fury is stepping into the ring with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

It’s all going down in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday October 28, and we’ve got all the details you need to bet on the fight now.

The fight will be a regulation boxing bout, with 10 three minute rounds but no titles on the line - save for the Riyadh Champion belt, created especially for the winner of the event.

Fury is a sizeable favorite, understandably given that he has never lost a professional boxing fight and taking on an opponent with virtually no top level boxing experience.

After overcoming some of the biggest names in heavyweight boxing, from Vladimir Klitchko to Deontay Wilder, it’s almost unthinkable that Fury could slip up against a Mixed Martial Artist in his first ever fight.

But Ngannou will have other ideas, and one clean shot from the 6’4” Cameroonian could turn this whole thing on its head.

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Current odds for the Fury vs Ngannou fight

Tyson Fury is a big favorite and a win for Francis Ngannou would represent a huge upset. But with the punching power of the heavyweight division, anything is possible. Find odds from our best rated licensed sportsbooks

Tyson Fury to win at -1430 with Unibet
Francis Ngannou to win at +850 with Unibet
Draw at +2500 with Unibet

Tyson Fury’s current form and previous fights

Tyson Fury is widely regarded as the best heavyweight boxer in the world. He is the current WBC heavyweight champion and is going to have the chance to become the undisputed champion of the heavyweight division when he fights Oleksandr Usyk after his bout with Ngannou.

Fury has never been beaten in professional boxing, with a dramatic split-decision draw with Deontay Wilder in 2018 the only blemish on an otherwise perfect resume. He subsequently avenged that result two times over too. His huge frame and awkward, technical style of boxing - along with the knockout power he has demonstrated in more recent years - make him an incredibly tricky opponent.

That said, Fury hasn’t exactly been through a string of stellar fights. Since he returned to the sport after a long layoff in 2018, the box office trilogy with Wilder has arguably been his only really top level test. His last fight was a year ago - a total mismatch against Derek Chisora. He’ll also surely have at least one eye on his upcoming fight against Usyk.

Stats:

Age: 35
Height: 6′ 9″
Weight: 122 kg
Record: 33-0-1 (Boxing)

Francis Ngannou form and previous fights

Francis Ngannou is an icon of heavyweight Mixed Martial Arts and regarded by many as the heaviest puncher in the history of the UFC. The highpoint of his career came in 2021, when he became heavyweight champion at UFC 260 by knocking out Stipe Miocic. He defended his title the following year against Ciryl Gane, and then - he was gone!

Unable to reach an agreement to renew his UFC contract, Ngannou left the organization and his heavyweight belt. He subsequently signed with the Professional Fighters League, an agreement which has also allowed him to pursue his interest in heavyweight boxing on the side, and the bout with Fury will be his first ever boxing fight and his first fight of any kind in more than 18 months.

A powerful knockout artist in MMA, Ngannou will be hoping that what he lacks in boxing experience he can make up for with the genuine fire in his fists.

Stats:

Age: 37
Height: 6′ 4″
Weight: 116kg
Record: 17-3-0 (MMA)

How to place a bet on Tyson Fury or Francis Ngannou

Betting on the Fury vs Ngannou fight is very straightforward. Check out our guide for total beginners below:

Make sure you are in a state with legal sports betting. More than half of the states in the US have introduced some kind of legal sports betting since 2018, and you should only bet with regulated sites that have received a license from the state gaming commission. Avoid unregulated offshore sites.
Create your account. Legal US sportsbooks are required to verify the identity of every person who bets with them online, meaning you’ll need to provide various personal details along with a copy of your ID.
Deposit some money to bet with. You can normally choose between a wide range of simple digital payment methods, including bank cards, bank transfers, e-wallets like PayPal or Skrill, prepaid cards and even cryptocurrency. There is generally no fee to top up your account.
Find the betting markets for Fury vs Ngannou in the boxing section of the sports menu. Click on the bet you want to place to add it to the digital betslip. You can type in your betting stake to check how much you would stand to win and when you’re ready, click the button to confirm the bet. Winning bets are paid out very quickly after the fight ends.

How to bet online on Fury vs Ngannou

We’ve covered the step by step guide in the last section, but we’ve got a few extra tips for how to get the most out of your betting experience ahead of Fury and Ngannou.

The first is not to sleep on betting bonuses. Pretty much all US sportsbooks have special offers for new players when they sign up, often a cashback bonus on your first bet or bonus bet vouchers.

If you’re brand new to sports betting ahead of the Fury vs Ngannou fight, it’s a no-brainer to use these bonuses to get some extra juice when you register with a sportsbook.

Another vastly underutilized strategy for sports betting is line shopping. This simply means checking around at different sites to find the best odds before you place a bet, and is an extremely easy way to get better payouts from your winning bets.

The only minor hitch is that you’ll need to sign up for accounts at multiple sportsbooks, but this is a pretty small price to pay. If you’re planning to bet on Fury vs Ngannou, don’t just jump at the first site you see.

Take your time and do a little research to find the most bang for your buck.

Who is the favorite to win the fight, Tyson Fury or Francis Ngannou?

Fury is the favorite, and by quite a wide margin. He is currently -1430 with Unibet, while you can bet on Ngannou at +850.

What’s the weight category of the Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou fight?

The bout will be fought at heavyweight, which both men have fought at throughout their careers in their respective disciplines.

Who has more wins in their career, Tyson Fury or Francis Ngannou?

Fury has more professional fights and more professional wins, with 33 wins from 34 fights and no losses. Of those wins, 72.73% have come by way of knockout. Ngannou has 17 wins from 20 MMA fights. His fights have gone the distance just four times, with Ngannou losing three of them.

What’s on the line if Francis Ngannou wins?

Instant credibility? Superstardom? A ticket to the top of the heavyweight boxing division? You name it.

Ngannou is a huge underdog in this fight and a win would immediately establish himself as a genuine force to be reckoned with in boxing.

One thing that won’t be on the line is Fury’s WBC heavyweight belt. Instead, a special Riyadh Champion belt has been created especially for the event.

Are there any interesting undercard fights that you should watch?

There certainly are. In fact, the undercard is of a higher caliber than you can reasonably expect for a boxing/MMA crossover fight.

Fabio Wardley takes on David Adeleye for the British heavyweight title in the headline bout of the pre-Main Event action. Elsewhere, Joseph Parker will be looking to get his own heavyweight career back on track against Simon Kean. The New Zealander was quietly regarded as a prospect for some of the top fights in the division, until he was stopped by Joe Joyce last year.