Media Tyson Fury calls out Francis Ngannou + Showtime president offers him Bellator W/ Wilder fight

[GUY]

The fight does change significantly if kicks are involved especially if low kicks are permitted. That being said, they've also gotten a lot of fighters knocked out by counterpunches. If Francis doesn't properly set up all of his low kicks he'll get tagged by Fury and likely before the kick can even land. Francis wouldn't be able to keep it at kicking range for long because Fury would instinctively know to crowd him. He already does this after throwing power punches where he immediately falls into the clinch in order to smother potential return fire. Then you say that Francis can just clinch when Fury closes distance? The trouble with that tactic would be that Fury is quite adept at in-fighting. As long as one of his hands are free he'd bust Francis up at close quarters even if elbows were allowed. His uppercuts from that range are particularly nasty and it comes with strong head control.

but the guys throwing those counter punches are used to dodge and defend kicks and know the range. A boxer has a very small chance. Anything can happen, but those rules put Francis as a big Favourite.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

but the guys throwing those counter punches are used to dodge and defend kicks and know the range. A boxer has a very small chance. Anything can happen, but those rules put Francis as a big Favourite.

You don't have to know the range. All a boxer would have to do is simultaneously step in to smother their low kick. Another option, though not ideal, would be for them to just eat the low kick to deliver their shot. Here's Cung Le knocking out Rich Franklin after timing his naked (no setup) low kick. It's called a catch & shoot. As Rich was recovering his kick, looking to re-establish his base, Le's quick right hook snuck in and it was curtains. Knocked him into retirement. There are countless examples of this in MMA and kickboxing.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

So, here's another one of my favorite low kick fails. Rountree gladly ate Saki's kick to land his counter straight left down the pipe. He didn't even need to step in. Saki is an extremely decorated world class kickboxer and yet it didn't matter. Hmm.

Just as Alex “Poatan” Pereira's crushing left hook took him all the way to the UFC Middleweight title. His kickboxing and grappling skills were barely even a factor. Call him a kickboxer all you like but the real difference maker in his MMA fights, not to mention in so many of his kickboxing fights, was in fact his left hook.

 

[BowserJr]

Ngannou uses quite a lot of leg kicks, especially when there is no wrestling threat. In a kickboxing fight, he would absolutely just spam hard leg kicks on Fury.
Leg kicks change the game much more than 4oz gloves, a cage, clinch or elbows; Fury would stand no chance.

He would kick more but it's not like he has Crocop, Overeem, Saki, Aerts, Hug, Hoost, etc.. kicks. It would even the playing field but Fury is tall, long and has great movement

 

[r-harper-1]

Francis vs wilder is a fun fight imo ….Francis bigger and tough …..Wilder likely sparks him , but at least there could be exchanges…..Fury will treat Francis like a sparring partner ( not a good one )

 

[BoxingMMA]

Wilder wins or course but HW boxing would get very interesting if Francis knocked wilder out.

 

[chimpoehurricane]

Of course, it is the easiest money he'll ever make.

I think Wilder gives him cte 3x.

 

[Zarathustra611]

Francis vs wilder is a fun fight imo ….Francis bigger and tough …..Wilder likely sparks him , but at least there could be exchanges…..Fury will treat Francis like a sparring partner ( not a good one )

I mean if big Francis just swarms at him and somehow doesn't get hit, then clinches, repeat I could see some exchanges happening. But I just think really that Wilder will land whenever he really needs to. He's caught everybody with his nuke at some point and I don't think Francis' defence is up to pro boxing standards.

Wilder wins, but I'd watch. Which is all Francis really needs for his final payday.

I don't think this even gets in the way of any bigger fights for Wilder. He could fight again 3 months later most likely. And the buzz around it won't hurt him as a draw, which he already is. But anytime he can land that big right and the crowds see a KO his value goes higher and higher imo.