RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Francis Ngannou finally crossed over into the boxing world Saturday, and while he may not have won the battle, he may wind up winning the war.
Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion who left that promotion earlier this year after a contract dispute, made his pro boxing debut against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in a non-title showcase fight in Saudi Arabia. The event was attended by dozens of celebrities and combat sports luminaries, who were invited guests of Saudi Arabia crown prince and prime minister Mohammed bin Salman.
After Ngannou’s close split decision loss to Fury, MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn caught up with several notable names to get their reactions to the outcome, including Mike Tyson, Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture and Roberto Duran.
Check out their thoughts on the fight in the video above.
Video: Mike Tyson, Chuck Liddell, more react to Francis Ngannou’s boxing debut vs. Tyson Fury