LIVE UPDATE: Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou

Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou (heavyweight)

Fabio Wardley via David Adeleye R7 TKO (heavyweight)

Joseph Parker bts Simon Kean via R3 KO (heavyweight)

Arslanbek Makhmudov bts Junior Anthony Wright via R1 TKO (heavyweight)

Moses Itauma bts Istvan Bernath via R1 TKO (heavyweight)

Martin Bakole bts Carlos Takam via R4 TKO (heavyweight)

Jack McGann bts Roberto Duran Jr via R2 TKO (super-welterweight)

What a fight this has been! We’re into the second half.

Fury is looking better. He flicks his jab out and swerves a couple of wild Ngannou swings. He also narrowly avoids a well-thrown straight right. Tell you what: Fury is certainly taking this seriously.

But he can’t get cocky. He bounces back off the ropes and only just dodges a formidable Ngannou uppercut as he springs forward. Fury responds by throwing a vicious right hook which lands flush, but Ngannou isn’t bothered in the slightest. It’s going to take more than that, it would appear.

Interesting take by ESPN’s Tim Bradley Jr. He thinks Ngannou’s game plan has changed in a bad way because of the knockdown in Round 3. “You get greedy to land that big shot…that’s what’s happening to Ngannou.” His aggressiveness has certainly gone up. If he’s not careful he could be susceptible to Fury’s punches.

Bradley noted Ngannou is “swinging wildly” and his technique is going “by the wayside.”

Carl Frampton has Ngannou four rounds up. That’s five points with the knockdown, with five rounds remaining.

Ngannou fancies this and rushes forward to charge Fury. He has started to really mix up his shots now. He is boxing very well.

Fury is twitching and feinting again. He needs to start stringing shots together, though. Ngannou is becoming more aggressive because he is yet to feel his opponent’s power.

He begins flicking out that left jab again. Better. And shortly before the bell he finally puts together a combination which snaps Ngannou’s head back. Ngannou ends the round with a big swing and a miss. I have Fury edging that one.

Ngannou presses forward. Fury wants to take a bit of time here to clear his head. But Ngannou isn’t affording him that and is throwing some incredibly powerful shots. He’s close to landing a massive overhand right only for Fury to duck away at the last moment.

Fury still hasn’t thrown anything of note. He’s switching stances but hasn’t been able to assert his dominance since the knockdown. Ngannou pushes him into the ropes and Fury looks unexpectedly fragile. He’s walking onto a lot of basic shots.

But that’s better from Fury, who lands with a left and then a right hook. Ngannou wears both. The shots check his progress, though, and the round ends with both men keeping their distance.

Fury vs Ngannou, round three

Fury utilizing his jab early in Round 2 but Ngannou landed a hard right. Blood now coming from Fury’s forehead after Ngannou connected coming out of the clinch. Both fighters change to southpaw to confuse the other but nothing major comes from it as the round ends.

Ngannou has stayed true to his word and he has started this fight boxing patiently, waiting for opportunities. But will they come against a fighter like Fury?

Fury is landing his left jab almost at will. But it’s a good response from Ngannou, who goes to the body and then flicks a jab into Fury’s face. And is the heavyweight champ pawing at his eye after that shot …?

Fury switches stances. I think he might have a small cut above his eye. He badly needs to avoid damage if he really does intend on fighting Usyk on December 23.

A good round from Ngannou. He’s doing well.

Fury comes out aggressive in Round 1, throwing a hard right hand. Ngannou looks a bit better than expected, closing distance and using his jab but nothing of significance is landing. Fury landed a hard right over the top with 25 seconds left and added another hard jab before the clock expired. The Brit took the first.

The pair share a steely face-off and we’re away.

Fury starts the fight by throwing a hail mary right hand, which Ngannou does well to dodge. But he’s unable to avoid a couple of stuff jabs a moment later. Ngannou elects to fight fire with fire and throws a big overhand right which Fury comfortably wheels around.

Fury keeps popping out the left jab. Ngannou needs to close the gap to land that bit right hand of his but Fury isn’t making it easy. The WBC champ is throwing plenty of shots and there isn’t too much coming back from the MMA fighter.

Maybe I spoke too soon! Ngannou flicks out a double jab and lands a shot to Fury’s body. Maybe that hurt Fury a little more than he would have liked, because he responds with the best passage of the round, landing an overhand right and then catching Ngannou flush in the face with his jab.

The pair then stare at one another as the bell rings. A good round!

Michael Buffer has introduced both fighters and shouted “let’s get ready to rumble”. Ladies and gentlemen, we’re there.

Standby for round-by-round updates. Let’s hope we get more than one!

We’re moments away from Fury-Ngannou as ring walks are now starting for both fighters. If Fury takes this fight even remotely seriously, he should cruise to victory. Ngannou has some boxing skills — after all, he boxed growing up before transitioning to MMA — but is nowhere close to the level of the Brit. Ngannou will need to land one big shot to prove he belongs. That’s easier said than done against the best defensive heavyweight in the world.

My prediction is Fury will toy with Ngannou in the earlier rounds to make this a “fight” vs. a one-round beatdown similar to what we saw Floyd Mayweather do to Conor McGregor.

Jolene by Dolly Parton starts to play. Much better than Lil Baby if you ask me, which nobody has. As he reaches the stage, Dolly is drowned out by Now We Are Free, the theme song from Gladiator by Ridley Scott.

Somebody is reading out something that sounds very dramatic, but the reverb is so bad it’s impossible to make it out.

Fury is also wearing a crown, along with a bejewelled green and white robe. Subtle. Now We Are Free comes to an end and is replaced by Pretty Woman, by Roy Orbison. Tune!

Fury jogs around the stage a little bit while his father, John, does whatever he can to get on television behind him.

Fury, his father and his brother all then start a light jog to the ring.