How Cristiano Ronaldo was a major player in Tyson Fury's and Francis Ngannou’s historic crossover fight

It turns out that football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo had a surprising impact on the highly-anticipated clash between Francis Ngannou and Tyson Fury. After leaving the UFC six months ago, Ngannou recently finalized a controversial crossover bout with the Gypsy King. But it was Ronaldo who convinced Ngannou that Saudi Arabia is the future of sports, leading to the fight taking place in the Middle Eastern country. This will be Ngannou's professional boxing debut and will earn him the largest purse of his career in combat sports.

Ronaldo's persuasion

During Ngannou's visit to Saudi Arabia in January, he had the opportunity to meet Cristiano Ronaldo and have a conversation about the future of sports. In an interview with TMZ, Ngannou praised the football icon, stating that Ronaldo told him that Saudi Arabia is changing rapidly and is the future of sports. Ngannou was pleasantly surprised by his visit to the country, stating that everything was cool and it felt just like normal life.

An unexpected fan

Ngannou was impressed by Ronaldo's knowledge and passion for mixed martial arts, as the football star had been following the sport for 17 years. Meeting Ronaldo in person and realizing that he was a huge fan and knew a lot about Ngannou and his fights was a memorable experience for the former UFC champion. Ngannou expressed his gratitude for Ronaldo's support and described him as a big figure in the sport.

A rematch clause

Although Tyson Fury is considered the overwhelming favorite to win the ten-round bout against Ngannou, the heavyweight fighter made sure to secure a potential rematch clause in case of an upset. Ngannou revealed that there is language in the contract that allows for a rematch, ensuring that he will have another opportunity to face Fury if the unthinkable happens.