Francis Ngannou reveals he could be fighting Tyson Fury in mid-2023

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou isn’t jumping the gun on a Tyson Fury fight in 2023, but he’d like to get a deal in writing before “The Gypsy King” battles Oleksandr Usyk.

Ngannou and Fury have expressed interest in throwing down at some point. Fury has laid out the rules for the bout, which calls for a boxing match, but with 4-ounce gloves. He suggested International Boxing Hall of Famer Mike Tyson serve as the special referee.

During an interview with TMZ Sports, Ngannou revealed some discussions he’s had with Fury’s team.

“I’ve talked to somebody. Some of [Fury’s] advisors, but they’re working on a fight with Usyk in April. So, until then, he will not be free, but I’m trying to see if we can have an agreement before that fight,” Ngannou told TMZ Sports from Cameroon.

Francis Ngannou also talked about why knowing he’ll have a fight with Fury locked up before the Usyk bout would be beneficial to him.

“That will also give me some time to prepare for a boxing fight. I have no problem with that timeline. I hope will be sometime in June, July, which is doable. Let’s see. I think it’s too early to make a conclusion. It’s too early to say anything about it but it’s definitely something that we’re looking into.”

Ngannou is now a free agent after he and UFC couldn’t come to terms on a new deal. He had been the reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion, but Ciryl Gane and Jon Jones will be fighting for the vacant gold at UFC 285 on March 4.