LeBron James has joined the chorus of viewers and boxing enthusiasts who expressed their discontent following Tyson Fury’s contentious split-decision win over Francis Ngannou in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, leaving many viewers fuming.
WBC heavyweight champ Fury faced a surprise third-round knockdown by former UFC fighter Ngannou, who was making his boxing debut.
Despite Fury’s recovery and effective jabs, fans, including LA Lakers superstar James, voiced their disappointment over Ngannou being denied the win.
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“Exactly why I don’t watch boxing!” James wrote on X. “C’mon man!”
James was not alone among the tall list of celebrities who expressed their discontent. A chorus of disapproval echoed through Boulevard Hall in Riyadh after the announcement of the UFC fighter’s loss was met with boos. Disgruntled fans flooded social media with shock and labeled the decision a robbery, according to Daily Mail.
Many fans took to social media to voice their outrage, with some calling it daylight robbery for Ngannou. Another fan expressed doubts about Fury’s future, suggesting that Oleksandr Usyk would have the upper hand if Fury fought as he did that night.
Some of the fans were in disbelief, with one saying, “Absolute travesty, I love Tyson Fury but he’s never ever won that.” Despite the controversy, Fury conceded that Ngannou’s performance was remarkable.
He described him as a hell of a fighter and admitted during his post-fight interview that it was one of his most challenging bouts in the past decade.
Fury acknowledged the unexpected turn of events, saying, “That definitely wasn’t in the script.”
He praised Ngannou as a formidable fighter with strong punching abilities. Fury also downplayed his third-round knockdown, attributing it to a blow to the back of the head and noting that he wasn’t hurt.
Fury said he swiftly recovered and resumed his boxing strategy. In a closely contested battle, fans were left eager to see Ngannou explore boxing further after an impressive debut.
Fury maintained his undefeated record, securing a split-decision victory. The judges’ scores were a tight 95-94 in favor of Ngannou, 96-93 for Fury, and another 95-94 in Fury’s favor, ultimately giving him the win.
