Get ready for a huge sports event that even Cristiano Ronaldo is getting pumped about! Tyson Fury, the current WBC heavyweight champ, will face Francis Ngannou, the ex-UFC heavyweight champ, in Saudi Arabia on October 28th. This match is a big part of the Riyadh Season, a yearly sports and fun festival. The news of the boxing match comes two days after NBA legend, LeBron James visited the country. On top of that, Cristiano Ronaldo endorsing the event has set the internet on fire.
Ngannou left the UFC in January 2023 as the heavyweight champ with 17 wins and three losses in his 10-year MMA career. He’s famous for having the record for the ‘world’s hardest punch’ since 2018. He’ll use his MMA skills in the switch to boxing. Fans wait with bated breath as the day comes closer.
Cristiano Ronaldo promotes the ‘Battle of the Baddest’
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Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, is just as excited as everyone else about this epic showdown! The 5x Champions League winner shared the post of Turki Alalshikh, Saudi adviser and owner of La Liga club, UD Almeria.
In the post shared by Cristiano on his Instagram story, we see Fury, Turki, and Ngannou posing for the showdown. The two stars can’t wait to get in the ring. The tagline for the event has been named “The Battle of the Baddest”, keeping the fans on the edge of their seats.
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Fury has held his heavyweight title since 2020, and he’s defending it. Ngannou is making his boxing debut after leaving the UFC. Fury’s last fight was in December 2022 when he kept his title by knocking out Derek Chisora in the 10th round. He’s never lost a match in his 34-fight career.
Riyadh now seems like the place to be for the sporting world. Earlier, LeBron James also visited Saudi Arabia which covers 8,000 miles from America. He did so after posting a funny tweet.
The new hub of the sporting world
LeBron James visited Saudi a few days earlier under the “Visit Saudi Arabia” campaign. This campaign is to promote tourism in the country. During his visit, the Saudi Arabia national basketball team showcased LeBron James. In an Instagram post, the Lakers player can be seen at the AZM academy. The LA Lakers player can be seen heading towards the basketball ring to pick up a ball as young players can be seen behind.
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LeBron James in Riyadh 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WnpUEetyym
— Saudi Basketball (@KSAbasket) September 5, 2023
LeBron recently tweeted on X as a joke with a caption that read, “Me headed to Saudi when they call @RichPaul4 and @mavcarter for that 1 year deal! (laugh emoji)”. He also included a gif from the movie Forrest Gump, where Gump can be seen sprinting.
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Saudi Arabia is promoting tourism in various ways. Bringing prominent athletes to their country and showcasing them. In the soccer world, they are buying world-class players to bring more attention to the country and their domestic league.