‘My timing was quite off’

Tyson Fury is pleased with his victory over Francis Ngannou, acknowledging it as one of his most challenging fights.

Despite the widespread belief that Ngannou would not last the distance against Fury, the former UFC heavyweight champion knocked down Fury and took him to a close split decision in their boxing match in Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Fury, the current WBC heavyweight titleholder, admitted it was not one of his finest performances.

“I felt a bit off with my timing,” Fury told Boxing King Media. “I’ve been out of the ring for nearly a year, so there was a bit of ring rust. It wasn’t one of my best showings. It wasn’t a vintage Tyson Fury. However, you have to do what it takes to move forward and onto the next one.”

To everyone’s surprise, Ngannou knocked down Fury in the third round and gave him a competitive fight in the subsequent rounds. It was undoubtedly the most impactful moment of the match.

Fury attributed the knockdown to a hit in the back of his head and cited illegal placement rather than the power of Ngannou.

“He hits hard, but that knockdown in the third round was like a hit to the back of my head. Besides that, he didn’t land much,” Fury explained.

In the end, Fury refused to diminish Ngannou’s achievement.

“You can’t take anything away from Francis Ngannou,” Fury asserted. “He’s a talented fighter and gave me a tough fight. That’s all there is to it. I trained well and prepared thoroughly. I have no excuses. Some days are better than others, but you keep pushing forward.”

For more on the matchup, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Fury vs. Ngannou.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie