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Boxing

29th Oct 2023

Video emerges of Oleksandr Usyk’s live reaction to Francis Ngannou knocking down Tyson Fury

Callum Boyle

Oleksandr Usyk

Usyk had the same reaction as all of us

Video footage of Oleksandr Usyk reacting to Francis Ngannou knocking down Tyson Fury has emerged online.

Fury claimed victory against Ngannou on Saturday night but not without controversy. The Gypsy King won the fight via split decision although many felt that Ngannou was left hard done by the results card.

Among the many A-list guests present in Riyadh was Usyk, who alongside Fury, holds all four of the world heavyweight titles in boxing.

Usyk was left just as shocked as everyone else in the stadium as former UFC star Ngannou knocked down Fury in the third round with a strong left hook.

While watching on, Usyk raised his eyebrows and stroked his chin as he may have picked up on Fury’s weaknesses ahead of a potential fight against him later this year.

After the fight, Usyk said that he felt that Fury was playacting during the knockdown.

He told Fight Hub TV: “I had an impression that he was playing. I’m not thinking about [whether he was playing possum] but I will be training 100 percent. But listen, it’s boxing. Maybe it was the element of surprise. Maybe. I think it was [a] show.”

The Gypsy King meanwhile admitted that he was surprised by how close the fight was. He said: “That definitely wasn’t in the script. He’s a hell of a fighter and a hell of a lot better boxer than we thought he would be.

“He’s an awkward man and a good puncher and I respect him a lot. He was very awkward, he wasn’t coming forward and was waiting for me to throw. He’s given me one of my toughest fights of the last 10 years.”

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