Oleksandr Usyk an ask for Tyson Fury, but he’s not ‘as powerful as Francis Ngannou’

Conor McGregor is amazed by the incredible power of Francis Ngannou, even in the sport of boxing.

In their crossover boxing match in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou managed to knock down Tyson Fury but unfortunately lost in a close split decision.

McGregor praised Tyson Fury for withstanding Ngannou’s power and doubts that his next opponent, Oleksandr Usyk, poses the same level of danger in their upcoming title-unification bout.

“I’ll tell you what, heavyweight boxing just got even more exciting with the addition of Ngannou to the mix. We can easily see Ngannou facing off against Anthony Joshua, or Derek Chisora here beside me. There will be no complications. Ngannou brings a new level of excitement to the heavyweight division. Well done,” McGregor told TNT Sports Boxing.

McGregor believes that Tyson Fury deserves credit for stepping into the unknown and facing Ngannou in his boxing debut.

“It was a great fight,” McGregor said. “Francis showed strength, discipline, and patience. Tyson had no idea what to expect or how to handle Ngannou, so I have to give credit to Tyson Fury.

“Tyson is the reigning king of boxing’s heavyweight division, going up against an unknown power puncher like Francis Ngannou, who is more of a striker than a mixed martial artist. Both men deserve respect. It was a win for the fans. As for who won between them? It doesn’t matter to me. It’s all about business.”

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

This story originally appeared on MMA Junkie.