Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou gave fans a glimpse of what's to come as both fighters conducted public workouts in Riyadh on Wednesday evening ahead of their blockbuster boxing showdown.
Fury, the WBC's unbeaten heavyweight world champion, faces former UFC heavyweight king Ngannou in a highly lucrative crossover bout in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
Ahead of their contest, both fighters went through their paces with a few drills with their trainers inside the ring at Boulevard Hall in Riyadh.
Fighters on the undercard climbed through the ropes for their public workouts, too, including former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker, who takes on Simon Kean, and rising heavyweight contender Fabian Wardley ahead of his bout with David Adeleye.
Fury, who became a two-time world champion in February 2020 by defeating Deontay Wilder in a rematch after their thrilling first fight ended in a controversial draw, is the overwhelming favourite to extend his unbeaten professional record to 35 fights.
The 35-year-old Briton's WBC title will not be on the line against Ngannou, even though their fight is an official 10-round bout. Instead, Fury and Ngannou will be fighting for the ‘Riyadh Champion’ belt, created specifically for Saturday's fight.
Ngannou, regarded as one of the most ferocious punchers in MMA, will be making his first official boxing appearance. The Cameroonian, 37, won the UFC's heavyweight title in March last year and made one successful defence before leaving the promotion at the end of his contract.
The build-up to the fight continues with a press conference on Thursday and the weigh-in on Friday, before the fighters go toe-to-toe on Saturday night.
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
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