Embarrassing Tyson Fury Performance Shows the True Risk in Boxing Cash Grabs

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It’s the most obvious takeaway from Saturday.

Given his standing as the unbeaten and longest-reigning heavyweight champion of the world, it was hardly surprising that Fury was an enormous favorite to win the fight and only slightly less likely to win it inside the scheduled 10-round distance.

So the mere fact that a boxing newbie like Ngannou competed with him, let alone knocked him down, busted him up, and was awarded the decision on one judge’s scorecard, was stunning to say the least and devastating to say the most.

Short of a one-sided defeat of Oleksandr Usyk if and when they meet—or a quick vanquish of Ngannou if they agree to a rematch—it’s difficult to imagine a time when the clip of him hitting the deck against the ex-UFC king is not going to lead Fury’s highlight package.

Maybe not the mainstream equivalent of Mark Sanchez’s butt fumble or Bill Buckner’s through-the-legs grounder, but when it comes to Fury’s boxing legacy it’s close. And had just one more round swung in his foe’s direction to make it an official loss, wow.

“One thing is for sure, Fury’s legacy as possibly one of the greatest heavyweights of all time is gone,” ex-middleweight title challenger Billy Lyell told Bleacher Report. “No one will ever consider him up there with Ali, Tyson, Holmes, Lewis.”

Whenever an established fighter considers a novelty opponent from this point forward, it’s a risk that’s got to factor into the equation.