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Sport
and Nolan King

Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou: Live blog, results from boxing event in Riyadh

Francis Ngannou Tyson Fury Riyadh DAZN MMA Junkie Saudi Arabia

Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA – MMA Junkie is on the scene and reporting live from Saturday’s boxing event headlined by Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou.

Fury and Ngannou will meet in a one-of-a-kind 10-round boxing match that pits the lineal boxing heavyweight champion against the lineal MMA heavyweight champion after Ngannou left the UFC earlier this year while still holding the promotion’s title bet.

The seven-fight lineup begins at 1 p.m. ET and streams on DAZN/ESPN+ pay-per-view. Keep it locked here for up-to-the-minute results and behind-the-scenes updates throughout the evening.

For more on the matchup, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Fury vs. Ngannou.

Full fight results

(DAZN/ESPN+ pay-per-view)

  • Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou
  • Fabio Wardley def. David Adeleye via TKO – Round 7, 2:43
  • Joseph Parker def. Simon Kean via knockout – Round 2, 2:04
  • Arslanbek Makhmudov def. Junior Anthony Wright via TKO  – Round 1, 1:10
  • Moses Itauma def. Istvan Bernath via TKO – Round 1, 1:53
  • Martin Bakole def. Carlos Takam via TKO – Round 4, 2:15
  • Jack McGann def. Alcibiade Duran Galvan via TKO – Round 2, 0:37

Countdown to the first fight

Teddy Atlas breaks down Fury vs. Ngannou

Chuck Liddell breaks down Fury vs. Ngannou

Fury vs. Ngannou undercard fighters give advice to Francis Ngannou

Prelim action begins

Jack McGann def. Alcibiade Duran Galvan

Replay of Jack McGann's big finish

A look inside the main event venue

Martin Bakole def. Carlos Takam

VIP red carpet arrivals

18-year-old Moses Itauma stops Istvan Bernath in less than two minutes

Ring walk time

Vince McMahon arrives with The Undertaker

Arslanbek Makhmudov rings Jordan Wright's bell, ends fight in 70 seconds

Tyson Fury arrives

Vince McMahon tells MMA Junkie about his relationship with Dana White

Joseph Parker lands an uppercut from hell, puts Simon Kean away in Round 3

Kanye West rolls in

Francis Ngannou in the house

Lil Baby in attendance

Conor McGregor arrives

A FIRED UP Conor McGregor talks to MMA Junkie

Fabio Wardley ends co-main event vs. David Adeleye violently

Randy Couture gives final prediction

Becky G performs

The ring emerges in spectacular fashion

Cristiano Ronaldo takes his seat

Ngannou enters the ring

Round 1: 10-9 Fury

Fury comes out with a big overhand right – and he lands another one. He’s not playing coy with Ngannou, who closes the distance. They clinch and separate. Fury lands another punch. Fury returns. Ngannou whiffs with a combination. Fury sticks a jab. The bell sounds. Ngannou sticks his tongue out. Fury returns by sticking out his tongue.

Total score: 10-9 Fury

Round 2: 10-9 Ngannou

Ngannou comes out more aggressive. He catches Fury with a nice punch that draws blood. Fury notices right away. He keeps wiping his forehead. Fury clinches and the fighters are separated. They clinch again. Same thing: separation.

Total score: 19-19

Round 3: 10-8 Ngannou

Ngannou lands a slick punch early. He threw a right hand, which missed, but followed it up with a left hand that connects. You can hear the crowd ooh and aah at Ngannou. We’re obviously only a fraction into this fight, but so far so good for him. NGANNOU DROPS FURY WITH A LEFT HAND. Fury takes a deep breath on the ground. He was as shocked as the rest of us. Ngannou dances over him. Fury gets up. Ngannou gets aggressive. The round ends.

Total score: 29-27 Ngannou

The knockdown

Round 4: 10-9 Fury

Ngannou and Fury clinch. Fury lands some dirty boxing before the referee separates them. They clinch again and Ngannou tosses Fury away. He’s so strong. Ngannou lands a left hand and they clinch again. Fury lands two hard punches, then comes through with another one-two.

Total score: 38-37 Ngannou

Round 5: 10-9 Fury

Ngannou throws another slick combination, but Fury dances around it. They tie up and the referee separates them. They trade and clinch again. Things are getting a little more sloppy. More and more clinching (and separating). Fury misses on a big uppercut. A nice jab lands for Fury. I wonder if we’re starting to see Fury pull away in the cardio department.

 Total score: 47-47

Round 6: 10-9 Fury

Fury is getting increasingly comfortable in there. That’s a funny statement to make, but it’s true. Since the knockdown, he’s found his rhythm. Fury throws a punch and the elbow connects to Ngannou’s head. The referee didn’t see it. It was quick. They continue to exchange. Ngannou seems to be slowing down a bit. Fury lands again. The round ends. It was close – as is this fight as a whole. Who would’ve thought?!

Total score: 57-56 Fury

Round 7: 10-9 Ngannou

Both men have slowed noticeably. There’s increasingly more staring than throwing. Fury is rotating around Ngannou, who is pressing the action. Ngannou lands a right hand. The crowd reacts, though it may have missed. Ngannou punches the body. Ngannou lands a left. Fury rushes in and falls to the canvas as they clinch. It was just a slip. Not a knockdown. Fury gets up and the referee restarts.

Total score: 66-66

Round 8: 10-9 Ngannou

They clinch and separate. Ngannou lets his hands go and lands a few hard punches on Fury, who returns with one good one of his own. That was a big exchange and Ngannou definitely got the best of it. Fury lands. Fury looks really tired. He’s engaging a lot of these clinches. The referee is having an increasingly difficult time separating these tired behemoths. Ngannou lands.

Total score: 76-75 Ngannou

Round 9: 10-9

Ngannou lands a hard left hand with the first punch he throws in the round. Fury throws a right and Ngannou counters. Fury stumbled but I think it was more of a balance thing. They clinch and separate. Fury bouncing around. Less movement from Ngannou. Fury lands a punch as Ngannou moves forward. They clinch and separate. Ngannou seems to signal that Fury hit him low, but the action continues. Fury jabs and jabs.

Total score: 85-85

Round 10: 10-9 Fury

These guys are exhausted. Some short shots are traded by both guys. Lots of feinting and jabbing, particularly from Fury. Ngannou pulls back on a combination. Fury throws a return punch. Ngannou tries a superman punch. It misses, but that awesome. The round ends. Wow. Win or lose, Ngannou just went the distance with the lineal heavyweight boxing champion in his pro debut.

MMA Junkie’s total score: 95-94 Fury

The final score

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