Sports
BREAKING: Francis Ngannou denied astonishing upset, knocks down Tyson Fury
WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury claimed a controversial split decision victory over former UFC fighter Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia.
Ngannou, 37, put Fury on the canvas in round three after connecting with a left hook.
But while one judge scored it 95-94 in favour of Ngannou, two gave it to Fury at 96-93 and 95-94.
Fury’s WBC heavyweight belt was not on the line.
“That definitely wasn’t in the script,” Fury told TNT Sports.
“I got caught round the back of the head [for the knockdown]. I wasn’t hurt. I got up and got back to my boxing.
“He’s an awkward man and a good puncher and I respect him a lot. He’s given me one of my toughest fights of the last 10 years.”
Ngannou, making his professional boxing debut, came out tentatively behind the jab in the opening round and Fury seemed content with a slow start as he looked to get a read on his opponent.
Fury got a first taste of Ngannou’s power in round two, though, as a cut opened on the forehead of the Gypsy King when he ate a left hook.
Fury looked ill-prepared and sluggish and hit the canvas in round three when he was found behind the right ear with that same punch.
Perhaps still feeling the impact of that shot, he struggled to find his rhythm until the fifth round when he caught Ngannou with a straight one-two combination.
After a brief push back from Fury when he started to box at range and have success with his jab, Ngannou again began to land some heavy punches in the latter rounds.
It seemed the scorecards were against Fury and he appeared desperate when lunging forward in the seventh, missing Ngannou and falling to his knees – deemed a slip rather than a knockdown.
Ngannou boxed very smartly when he was able to close the distance, using his MMA skills to clinch and land shots to the body and head.
Fury’s face carried the damage as the final bell rang and Ngannou’s corner held his arms up high in the expectation that he was on the verge of pulling off the biggest shock in boxing.
But the scorecards controversially fell in the favour of the seasoned boxer, who won the commemorative ‘Riyadh champion’ belt and extended his unbeaten record to 35 – winning 34 and drawing one.
“My training camp was only three and a half months and I came into this with an injury,” Ngannou said. “But I don’t want to give excuses. I will look at what I can do next to improve my game to come back even better.
“Now I know I can do this, get ready. The wolf is in the house.”
Fury’s victory means a blockbuster bout with fellow heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBO and IBF titles, which has been signed, remains on the horizon.
An undisputed heavyweight contest, the first in four-belt era, has been mooted for 23 December, however, a cut and bruised Fury might struggle to turnaround so quickly.
Two arenas and plenty of ceremony
The fight in Riyadh was held in a separate ring and in an adjacent arena to the rest of the undercard.
The undercard took place at a small outdoor arena and concluded with a British heavyweight title contest as Fabio Wardley defended his belt against David Adeleye.
After a lengthy break the crowd and media moved into the 26,000-seater Boulevard Hall stadium for a musical offering, which felt like a mix between the Super Bowl half time show and Eurovision.
It ran for around 30 minutes, with London rapper Flowdan, Grammy award winner Lil Baby and American singer Becky G performing.
As the musical acts concluded, the floor opened and the ring raised from the ground to a huge roar from those inside the 20,000-seater arena.
Eventually, both fighters – wearing crowns – made their way to the ring, but only after they each sat on a gold throne.
Saudi Arabia’s star-studded show
There has been no shortage of glamour in Riyadh this week with a plethora of celebrities gathered for the event.
Where else would you see former two-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor sat between ex-Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, who now plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, and ex-Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand?
Plenty of famous faces from the world of combat sports turned out in big numbers, with Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, Frank Bruno, Oscar de la Hoya, and Prince Nazeem Hamed among those flying the flag for boxing, while former mixed martial artists Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir were ringside.
Footballing great, past and present were also among the crowd, including five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo dashing to the event just hours after a 3-1 win for Al-Nassr at Al-Feiha, alongside former Brazil international Ronaldo and ex-Real Madrid forward Figo.
Producer and fashion designer Kanye West and fellow rapper Eminem also made the the trip to Riyadh.
The event formed part of ‘Riyadh Season’ – an entertainment events festival held in Saudi Arabia’s capital every year since 2019.
The Saudi Arabian government reportedly paid big money to host the crossover bout, but the country’s increased involvement in global sport has proven controversial.
Saudi Arabia’s increasing desire to host elite sporting events – including boxing matches, an annual Formula 1 race, and a bid for the 2034 World Cup – has brought scrutiny due to the country’s poor human rights record.
Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, said in September that he “does not care” about accusations that the country is “sportswashing” – investing in sport and using high-profile events to quell criticism of its practices and improve its international reputation.
Manchester United have reportedly sacked Michael Carrick following an internal review conducted by the club over the past 48 hours.
Carrick was informed of the decision on Thursday, November 12, 2026, bringing his spell in charge of the Premier League giants to an end.
The decision reportedly followed a series of internal discussions and an assessment of the club’s current situation, with the management deciding to part ways with the former Manchester United midfielder.
Carrick’s departure marks another managerial change at Old Trafford as the club looks to chart a new course and revive its fortunes.
The club is yet to officially announce his departure.
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has alleged that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) prevented him from greeting members of the country’s Under-17 women’s national football team, the Flamingos, at an airport.
Obi claimed that the officials were afraid of losing their jobs if they allowed him to approach and welcome the players.
The former Anambra State governor made the allegation in a post on his X handle on Monday, expressing concern over what he described as the growing culture of toxic politics in Nigeria.
According to him, he arrived at the airport around 7 a.m. to board a flight to Enugu when he sighted the Flamingos, who had just returned to the country and were preparing to leave the airport.
Obi said he subsequently asked his Protocol Officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether he could approach the players and congratulate them.
However, he alleged that the NFF officials turned down the request, insisting that he should not be allowed to interact with the team.
“I was informed that officials of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) had refused and had requested that I not approach them because, if I did, they would all lose their jobs,” Obi wrote.
He further claimed that the incident was not the first time he had been prevented from interacting with members of a Nigerian national team.
Recalling an incident on March 25, 2025, Obi said that when he travelled to Uyo for a World Cup qualifying match, the state governor warmly received him at the VIP stand.
He alleged that after the match, when other government officials went to greet the players, he was prevented from doing the same, with officials reportedly citing fears of losing their jobs.
Obi expressed concern that what he described as the culture of toxic politics had continued to worsen since 2025, adding that the situation appeared to deteriorate with each passing year.
He maintained that political differences should not be allowed to undermine national unity, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
“The new Nigeria we aspire to build must have no room for hostility, intimidation, or discrimination, regardless of political affiliation.
“It must be a Nigeria in which unity, mutual respect, and our shared humanity take precedence over political differences,” he added.
The Flamingos arrived in Abuja on Monday following their 2-1 victory over Japan in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco.
A football referee in Brazil has reportedly issued 51 red cards following a mass brawl involving players and officials during a youth football match between Uberlandia and Mamore.
The incident occurred during a Minas Gerais Under-20 Second Division encounter on Sunday, with the confrontation reportedly lasting about 40 minutes before military police intervened.
According to Brazilian newspaper O Tempo, the violence erupted in the 54th minute after Mamore player Davi allegedly taunted the opposing team’s bench while celebrating his side’s third goal.
The situation reportedly escalated when Uberlandia’s goalkeeping coach, Paulo Sérgio Dias Dos Santos, ran onto the pitch to confront the player.
A video of the incident, which went viral on Thursday, showed the scale of the chaotic confrontation.
Chairs and stretchers were allegedly used as weapons during the melee, while the referee’s report claimed that ball boys representing Uberlandia also joined the violence, throwing punches and kicks.
The match official, Drosghic Modesto, further alleged that he received death threats and other threats of violence from different individuals following the incident. He subsequently filed a police report over the threats.
The match was suspended for 40 minutes before it was eventually abandoned.
The referee reportedly issued 51 red cards, comprising 43 players and eight members of the two teams’ technical crews.
According to Guinness World Records, the previous record for the highest number of red cards in a single football match was 36, recorded during an Argentine Primera D fixture in 2011.
The latest incident has drawn attention to the disturbing level of violence that can erupt during football matches.
Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 41, bringing an end to his 23-year career with the national team.
Ronaldo announced his decision on Thursday in a video shared on his official Instagram account, expressing gratitude to the Portuguese people for their support throughout his international career.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner made 234 appearances for Portugal, scoring 146 goals to become the country’s all-time leading scorer and the highest goalscorer in men’s international football.
In his retirement message, Ronaldo said it was time to hand over the iconic number seven jersey to the next generation of Portuguese players.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons players have received the naira equivalent of $100,000 each, while members of the technical crew and officials received $50,000 each, following the fulfilment of President Bola Tinubu’s financial pledge to the team for winning the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The National Sports Commission (NSC) announced the payment in a statement on Monday, describing it as the completion of the financial component of the presidential reward package for the team’s record-extending 10th continental title.
The players had earlier received title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja, alongside certificates of the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, commended President Tinubu for fulfilling his promise, describing the gesture as a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to recognising sporting excellence.
“The Super Falcons made Nigeria proud, and Mr President has honoured his commitment to them in full. This means a great deal to the team and to Nigerian sports,” Dikko said.
He expressed appreciation to the President for ensuring that the promised rewards were delivered within a short period.
The commission attributed the successful payment to collaboration between the NSC and the Ministries of Finance, Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, and Housing and Urban Development.
Dikko noted that the fulfilment of the promise represented a departure from previous experiences in which Nigerian athletes had to wait several years before receiving rewards announced by the government.
He urged Nigerian athletes to draw encouragement from the development, assuring them that their sacrifices and achievements would be recognised.
The Super Falcons clinched their 10th WAFCON title in July 2025 after staging a remarkable comeback from two goals down to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final in Rabat.
Tinubu announced the reward package during a presidential reception for the team on July 28, 2025, promising each player the naira equivalent of $100,000 and members of the technical crew $50,000 each.
He also promised the team three-bedroom apartments and national honours.
The development follows a similar reward arrangement for Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, whose players received the naira equivalent of $100,000 each in September 2026 after winning their fifth consecutive Women’s AfroBasket title in 2025.
Members of the basketball team’s technical crew and officials also received $50,000 each, alongside housing documents and OON certificates.
In December 2025, the Federal Government also presented housing title documents and national honours to members of the Super Eagles following their silver-medal finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.
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