‘Boxing is not a real sport’

You can now include the renowned MMA fighter, Chael Sonnen, in the list of those who are dissatisfied with the verdict of the much-discussed Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou crossover boxing match.

On his YouTube channel, Sonnen boldly expressed, “Boxing is not a legitimate sport. It’s painful for me to admit, but there’s no denying it.”

The former UFC title challenger made these remarks after witnessing Ngannou’s loss to Fury, which was decided by a split decision. Many believe that Ngannou, the only one to score a knockdown and perform admirably in subsequent rounds, did enough to secure victory.

Sonnen expressed his disgust at the unfairness in judging the fight, stating, “A fighter’s hard work deserves to be recognized and accurately acknowledged. It’s repulsive what they did to him. Anyone could have predicted this outcome. There was no chance that boxing would allow him to win if it went to a decision.”

Furthermore, in addition to critiquing the fight’s scoring, Sonnen was astonished by Ngannou’s ability to hold his own against Fury, who is currently the WBC heavyweight champion and widely regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers today. Sonnen stressed Ngannou’s lack of experience and significant time away from the sport due to injuries.

Distressed by the situation, Sonnen confessed, “This deeply saddens me, not just because of any personal sentiments towards Francis. It’s disheartening because I have always held boxing in high regard. But discovering that boxing is a sham – and I don’t mean the decision was manipulated – means it cannot be considered a genuine sport in any way.”

Sonnen recalled another instance where an inexperienced fighter defeated the best boxer in the world at their prime, along with another situation where a man in his late 30s, having never participated in the sport before, trained solely at an MMA gym and defeated an undefeated legendary boxer. These instances add to Sonnen’s disillusionment with boxing’s authenticity.

For more details about this extraordinary matchup, visit MMA Junkie’s comprehensive coverage of Fury vs. Ngannou.

This story was originally published on MMA Junkie.