Francis Ngannou earns No. 10 ranking from WBC after close loss to Tyson Fury

Francis Ngannou is officially ranked in boxing.

The former UFC champion now sits at No. 10 in the WBC heavyweight rankings following his split decision loss to Tyson Fury in his professional boxing debut last month.

The WBC announced the ranking on Wednesday through their social media accounts.

Francis Ngannou did an outstanding job against the WBC Heavyweight Champion and the WBC Board of Governors has agreed to rank him as No. 10 in the Heavyweight division.@francisngannou #wbcboxing #wbcuzbekistan23 pic.twitter.com/mXjhiRS9Vt

— World Boxing Council (@WBCBoxing) November 15, 2023

 

Contrary to many’s expectations, Ngannou knocked down and took Fury, who holds the WBC heavyweight title, the distance in their 10-round boxing bout in Saudi Arabia on Oct. 28. It was a non-title bout, with the WBC granting Fury a special permission for the fight.

Ngannou lost a split decision that night, but many observers believe Ngannou did enough to secure the victory. Ngannou got the only knockdown of the fight in Round 3 and also left Fury battered and bruised.

Ngannou said after the fight that he intends to continue boxing at an elite level, while also looking to continue his MMA career. It’s unknown which sport he will fight in next, but he targets a March return.

Fury, on the other hand, is expected to fight WBA, WBO and IBF champion Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed heavyweight bout in February.

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