Tyson Fury could delay retirement for ‘special fight’ with UFC star Francis Ngannou

Fury had said he would retire after his WBC title defence against Dillian Whyte in April

Tyson Fury has said his plans to retire after fighting Dillian Whyte could be altered if a bout with UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou can be organised.

WBC heavyweight champion Fury puts his belt and unbeaten record on the line against Whyte on 23 April, taking on his fellow Briton at a sold-out Wembley Stadium in London.

Fury, 33, had said this week that he would retire after fighting Whyte, also 33, though a potential crossover clash with Ngannou could impact the “Gypsy King”’s plans for his future.

“I don’t count that as a real boxing fight,” Fury insisted on The MMA Hour. “That’s not a boxing fight. That’s gonna be a ‘special’ fight.

“That will be in a cage in 4oz gloves, in Las Vegas at the Raiders Stadium.

“I will have retired from competitive, championship boxing, and I’ll be ready to do the crossover fights completely.”

Ngannou retained his UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane in January, in what was the last fight on his contract with the mixed martial arts promotion.

However, as a title holder he is obligated to remain with the UFC for another year.

UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou could leave the MMA promotion soon (Getty Images)

Ngannou has a background in boxing and is widely considered the most ferocious power-puncher in UFC history.

The Cameroonian has secured 12 of his 16 professional MMA wins via knockout. Eight of those 12 KO victories have come in the first round, with three of them earned within the first minute.

“We’ve got Francis Ngannou, he’s a big guy, a big dangerous guy,” Fury said.

“I’d love to see people going on, ‘Oh, it’s not a fair fight in 10oz gloves,’ and that’s correct.

“It wouldn’t be a fair fight in 1oz gloves because – like [ex-UFC champion Daniel] Cormier said recently – Francis Ngannou is a much cruder version of Deontay Wilder, and we all know what happened there.”

Fury and Wilder fought to a controversial split draw in December 2018, with most fans and pundits believing that Fury should have been awarded a win, before the Briton secured stoppage victories over the American in February 2020 and October 2021.

Fury took the WBC belt from Wilder in the first of those two wins, before retaining it in their most recent meeting.

“So, I think if we’re doing 4oz gloves, he’d have a bit more chance of knocking me out,” Fury continued, “but then again, I’d have a bit more chance of knocking him out, also.

“So, it makes for an exciting fight, and I will try to come in at my heaviest for that fight. I’ll try to come in over 300lbs, just to nail him to the canvas with one solid punch.”