Francis Ngannou is now ranked by the WBC in boxing

Francis Ngannou is now a ranked boxer.  

The former UFC heavyweight champion is ranked at No. 10 in the new WBC rankings following his boxing debut against Tyson Fury.  

The WBC made the announcement on social media early Wednesday morning.  

“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,” the WBC wrote on Twitter.  

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

Ngannou fought Fury, the WBC champion, on Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in a non-title bout.  He knocked Fury down in the third round and had him badly hurt in the eighth.  He lost to Fury via split decision but many felt Ngannou should have gotten his hand raised.

Ngannou plans to continue boxing, but is also signed to the PFL for his MMA fights.  He’s looking to return in March, likely in boxing, but that’s not set in stone.  

Fury already has a fight lined up.  It was announced during the Fury vs. Ngannou fight week.  Originally slated for December, Fury will take on WBA, WBO and IBF champion Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed heavyweight championship bout in February.    

Ngannou left the UFC early this year after the two could not come to terms on a new contract.  Ngannou of course wanted more money which the fight promotion agreed to pay, but he also wanted the freedom to box.  The UFC wouldn’t allow him to do that so they waived the one-year matching rights clause and Ngannou become an unrestricted free agent.  

He signed with the PFL in May and the bout with Fury was announced shortly after.