Billy Joe Saunders says Tyson Fury ‘has too many ‘yes men’ in his camp’ and wasn’t fully focused in split decision win over boxing newcomer Francis Ngannou
Billy Joe Saunders has suggested Tyson Fury has ‘too many yes men’ in his entourage after the Gypsy King secured victory over ex-UFC fighter Francis Ngannou.
Fury scored a controversial split-decision victory over Ngannou in his first official boxing match in Riyadh on Saturday evening.
But not before Ngannou sent him to the canvas in the third round and made him go the distance.
One judge scored the match 95-94 in favor of Ngannou, while the other two handed the match to Fury 96-93 and 95-94.
But two-time world champion Saunders was far from impressed with Fury’s performance just a few months after his heavyweight showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.
Tyson Fury defeated Francis Ngannou via a close split decision on Saturday evening
Francis Ngannou sent Tyson Fury to the canvas in round three with a thunderous left hook
Billy Joe Saunders wasn’t too impressed with Fury’s performance during Saturday night’s showdown
In an Instagram post, Saunders suggested Fury has “too many yes men” in his entourage
Saunders wrote on Instagram: ‘Too many yes men in camp, not enabled from the start.
“But he (will) be called in for the Ukrainian.”
Usyk looked ringside and his post-fight comments suggested he wasn’t quite sure how to read Fury’s performance.
‘I had the impression he was playing. I don’t think about it (whether he played possum), but I will train 100 percent,” the Ukrainian told Fight Hub TV.
“But listen, it’s boxing. Maybe it was the element of surprise. Maybe. I think it was a show.”
Asked if it gave him more confidence ahead of the fight before Christmas, Usyk replied: “I don’t know, I have no idea.
“Listen, (Ngannou) is MMA world champion, that was a tough blow. Then there is the element of surprise. Maybe Tyson Fury didn’t take it seriously: ‘Oh, he’s an MMA fighter, blah blah blah’. Don’t know.
Of course I was surprised (by the knockdown). I looked at the knockdown and said, ‘Oh, oh, oh Francis! Be careful please!” I said, ‘Tyson! Jab, jab jab, move, jab!’ I said that.’
Fury’s next opponent, Oleksandr Usyk, wasn’t sure what to make of Fury’s performance