Will Duel Against Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou Asks Mike Tyson For Help

Former UFC fighter Francis Ngannou. (Photo: Twitter/@francis_ngannou)

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou confirmed he would be trained by former heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson in preparation for a duel against WBC belt holder Tyson Fury.

Ngannou and Fury are scheduled to fight in a boxing match without a title on October 28 in Saudi Arabia. He also confirmed that Mike Tyson would be trained for the duel.

"Taking Mike Tyson into my training camp is one of the best decisions I can make to prepare for Tyson Fury in the ring at Riyadh Season this year," he said.

Ngannou is one of the most feared fighters in MMA, but has no experience in professional boxing. Therefore, Iron Mike is considered a puzzle piece that needs to complement his training camp.

"Mike Tyson is my idol in this sport. His experience and IQ boxing will be very important to hone my technique to win this super fight," Ngannou said.

"I've wanted this game for years and now I'm focused on the biggest game of my career and shocked the world on the most epic stage for fans at Riyadh. On October 28, the world will find out who the most cruel man on the planet is," he added.

Tyson himself was very enthusiastic about his role in the fight. He has openly supported Ngannou 100 percent to win the duel against Fury.

"It's no secret that I support Ngannou 100 percent in this championship meeting. He had a hard blow and when it landed, the game was over," Tyson said.

Mike Tyson said that even though he had never fought boxing before, Ngannou was still a fighter and a world champion in mixed martial arts discipline.

"He knows how to compete when the bell rang. However, the key is to combine his fighting energy and ability into his punch. We are here to win," Tyson said.

"I can't wait to work with Ngannou and support the transition from octagon to boxing ring," he added.