Francis Ngannou Earns World Boxing Council Ranking Following Tyson Fury Loss

In a somewhat controversial move, Francis Ngannou has been ranked by the World Boxing Council at heavyweight.

As reported by Reuters, Ngannou has entered the WBC poll at No. 10 following a split-decision defeat to Tyson Fury on Oct. 28 in Saudia Arabia. The former UFC heavyweight champion scored a knockdown of Fury and was competitive throughout the fight, which allowed him to receive a 95-94 scorecard from one ringside judge. Fury, meanwhile, received tallies of 96-93 and 95-94 to get the split-decision nod.

While many observers believed Ngannou deserved to win the fight, it is rare for the WBC to rank an athlete with no professional wins on his record. “The Predator” was making his pro boxing debut after parting ways with the UFC earlier this year. Fury, meanwhile, will move on to an undisputed heavyweight championship fight against Oleksandr Usyk, which has been targeted for Feb. 17.

Ngannou is also signed to Professional Fighters League, where he is expected to make his debut with the organization at some point in 2024. Whether that comes before or after another boxing match is still unclear, though there have been discussions for an MMA or mixed rules bout against boxing heavyweight Deontay Wilder.