Tyson Fury will box ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou in a seismic crossover fight in Saudi Arabia in October, it has been announced. Fury, who reigns as WBC heavyweight champion, has been struggling to find an opponent for his next title defence and will stay active by boxing Ngannou, one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts, in Riyadh on 28 October. Per a press release on Tuesday (11 July), the fight will be contested “under the official rules of professional boxing, with three judges ringside adopting the 10-point must system”. “Both fighters, however, are promising to meet in the middle of the ring, go to war, and win by knockout in devastating fashion.” It was not stated that Fury’s WBC title will be on the line. Ngannou, 36, held the UFC heavyweight title between 2021 and 2022, and he retained the belt in his most recent fight – a decision win against Ciryl Gane in January last year. The Cameroonian then left the UFC earlier this year amid a pay dispute, before signing with the Professional Fighters League (PFL). As part of his deal with the MMA promotion, Ngannou is allowed to box before he makes his PFL debut in 2024. As such, the “Predator” will take on the unbeaten Fury. Ngannou is widely seen as the most devastating puncher in MMA history. His professional record stands at 17-3, with 12 of his wins having come via knockout. Of those KO victories, eight took place in Round 1 – with three having been achieved inside the first minute. Meanwhile, Fury last fought in December, beating Derek Chisora for the third time to retain the WBC heavyweight title. The Briton, 34, has since been in talks over fights with Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua, with neither bout materialising. Usyk is instead set to defend his unified heavyweight titles against Daniel Dubois in August, with Joshua planning to face Dillian Whyte in August then Deontay Wilder in late 2023 or early 2024. Fury’s pro boxing record stands at 33-0-1 with 24 knockout wins. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Anthony Joshua not ‘wasting time’ waiting for Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder Anthony Joshua to face Dillian Whyte in rematch at The O2 on August 12 Tyson Fury reacts to footage of Anthony Joshua using mattress as heavy bag

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Burnley striker Lyle Foster is receiving specialist care for his mental health. Foster has not played since Burnley’s 3-0 Premier League defeat at Brentford on October 21 and missed the Clarets’ last three games. A Burnley statement read: “On behalf of Lyle Foster and his family they have asked us to share with you an update on Lyle’s illness. “Recently, Lyle let us know that he continues to live with issues around his mental wellbeing and has reached out for help. “He is currently in the care of specialists – giving him the support and care he needs to help him back to full health. “With the love and support of his family and everyone at Burnley Football Club we will do all we can to provide everything he needs to get better. “We ask for your understanding and respect Lyle’s privacy around this matter and will not be making any more comment until further notice.” Foster signed a new five-year deal at Turf Moor last month, with boss Vincent Kompany saying the South African will become an “important” Premier League striker. The 23-year-old joined Burnley from Belgian club Westerlo in January and has adapted quickly to the Premier League following the Clarets’ promotion, scoring three goals in seven appearances. Read More Gareth Southgate says Raheem Sterling’s England absence down to football reasons Gareth Southgate ‘not interested in just racking up games’ as England manager Ali Price joins Edinburgh on loan from Glasgow after input from Scotland