MMA fighters have often found themselves subjected to bittersweet endings after stepping inside the boxing ring. While famous UFC fighters like Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley ended up in the bitter half, few others like Nate Diaz and Francis Ngannou got massive respect despite their defeats. The recently concluded Fury vs. Ngannou boxing match in Riyadh had built massive anticipation among the fans too. Well, the immense number of headlines that it has been creating since its conclusion stands as proof that it didn’t fail to deliver what the fans expected.
A plethora of combat sports personalities have expressed their opinions about the coveted fight that took place on 28 October. However, a recent update by the noted ‘TalkSport’ editor revealed that the noted UFC CEO, Dana White, had also given his take on the fight. Let’s have a look at what the UFC head honcho had to say.
Dana White compared the biggest UFC star’s performance with Francis Ngannou’s prowess
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Not many combat sports fans could’ve imagined that Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, would even score a knockdown on the WBC heavyweight champ, Tyson Fury. A thunderous left hook from ‘The Predator’ sent the undefeated heavyweight boxing champ to the canvas in the third round of the fight. This is probably why most of the combat sports community stood against the judge’s decision that ruled the bout in Fury’s favor after ten rounds.
LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 24: Dana White speaks with the press following the event for Power Slap 2 – Wolverine vs Bell on May 24, 2023, at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Well, the UFC CEO, Dana White’s words might compel fans to think that he also had the same opinion about the fight. He said, “I didn’t see the fight, but the fact that he went ten rounds with Tyson Fury is crazy”. White also stated, “Conor McGregor made it to ten with Floyd”.
These were not the only words that White spoke on this issue. Still, some fans may have a bit of discontent regarding the comparison that he made till now.
A comparison of how Conor Mcgregor and Francis Ngannou did in the boxing ring
Upon comparing the two situations, we’ll find that McGregor lost via a KO in the ‘Money Fight’ back in 2017. But it was the judge’s decision that subjected the Predator to a loss after surviving the full length of the fight. ‘The Notorious’ never got even close to scoring a knockdown on Mayweather that Ngannou did on his undefeated rival, Fury.
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White continued his take on the fight stating, “Anthony Pettis beat Roy Jones Jr – I know Roy’s 60 years old or whatever, but I don’t know what the hell is going on, it’s crazy. I didn’t see the fight, but the fact that he went ten rounds is unbelievable.”
Dana White on Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou: “I didn’t see the fight, but the fact that he went ten rounds with Tyson Fury is crazy… Conor McGregor made it ten with Floyd, Anthony Pettis beat Roy Jones Jr – I know Roy’s 60 years old or whatever, but I don’t know what the hell is…
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) November 3, 2023
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A reality check of White’s take on the coveted Anthony Pettis vs. Roy Jones Jr. will reveal that he isn’t pretty wrong about it. But he never mentioned the most startling fact that Ngannou even scored a knockdown on probably the best of the current professional boxers. Most UFC fans are also aware of the ugly history between the two that led to Ngannou’s UFC exit, which may be a reason behind this.
So, after knowing about White’s take, would you say White was trying to undermine Ngannou’s in-ring success? Also, was he making a justified comparison when he compared Ngannou and Conor McGregor‘s in-ring performances?