Could Tyson Fury and Francis Nggannou put up bigger numbers than Mayweather vs. McGregor?
Tyson Fury has not been shy about calling out a fellow heavyweight champion in recent years. Fury and UFC champ Francis Ngannou have been going back-and-forth about a potential crossover fight. According to Tyson’s Promoter and CEO of Top Rank Bob Arum, this fight might not be that difficult to set up.
Fury made remarks about this meeting once again following his knockout victory over Dillian Whyte. The crossover affair has been compared to another of its kind. Of course, that is Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor. Arum believes that this fight could be even larger.
“I think Fury and this UFC heavyweight champion, Ngannou, do bigger business than Mayweather and McGregor,” Arum recently told BoxingScene.
“They know each other and they know how much there is to be made for that fight…This UFC guy, assuming that he’s able to fight, that’ll do monumental business.”
That fight between Mayweather and McGregor saw 4.3 domestic buys, which is the second-highest buy rate in pay-per-view history. This was just behind Mayweather’s bout with Manny Pacquiao, which sold 4.6 million. Mayweather reportedly made around $280 million for the fight while McGregor, in a losing effort, took home $130 million.
Prior to his fight with Whyte, Tyson Fury announced that it would be his last and he had plans of retiring. This is true of official bouts but Fury has shown interest in appearing in exhibition fights and even teased a match wearing MMA gloves.
When McGregor made the switch to box Mayweather, it was the first time that a UFC fighter under contract was permitted to do so. This would not impact Francis Ngannou, who has no fights left on his current UFC deal. As champion, Ngannou is tied to his deal for another 12 months beginning this past January. Even so, Ngannou will not extend his contract if there is not a clause that allows him to take on Fury.
“The Tyson Fury fight has to be part of the discussion,” Ngannou told The MMA Hour.
“That’s not an option. It has to be part of the discussion because if that’s not part of the discussion, it never will be…If I sign another contract now, basically the same model of the contract, I’m screwed.”
According to Bob Arum, there is interest from both ends and we could see a Fury vs. Ngannou watch set up very soon.
“I don’t know what Ngannou’s contract situation over with the UFC is…Obviously, it’d be a massive fight, and it should be easy to make,” Arum said.
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