Campbell Hatton has conceded watching Tyson Fury barely scrape past Francis Ngannou in their huge crossover fight on Saturday night was ‘a bad look’ for boxing.
Fury was expected to deal with the former UFC heavyweight champion with minimal fuss as he took on the boxing novice in Saudi Arabia.
However, he was sent to the canvas by a left hook in the third round, and looked out of sorts throughout the 10-round contest.
To his credit, Fury fought his way back after being knocked down, but still struggled to dominate proceedings, and when the final bell rang it was unclear as to who had won the fight.
Fury was given the verdict by split decision to spare himself of being on the wrong end of one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, but Hatton was still shocked by how the fight played out, admitting he did not recognise the ‘Gypsy King’, having seen him rule the heavyweight division in recent years.
![Tyson Fury was knocked down by Francis Ngannou in their crossover fight on Saturday night](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/01/12/77266181-12696755-image-a-6_1698842246907.jpg)
Tyson Fury was knocked down by Francis Ngannou in their crossover fight on Saturday night
![Fury got up to win, but Campbell Hatton (pictured) believes the Gypsy King struggling against a boxing novice was 'a bad look' for the sport](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/01/12/77266197-12696755-image-a-7_1698842278487.jpg)
Fury got up to win, but Campbell Hatton (pictured) believes the Gypsy King struggling against a boxing novice was ‘a bad look’ for the sport
Hatton feels Fury may have underestimated his opponent, causing him to deliver a dismal performance, and pointed out that it was Ngannou who looked like the seasoned professional.
‘I think Tyson was quite poor really,’ Hatton told Mail Sport. ‘He (Ngannou) was given no chance at all. When we saw Mayweather-McGregor, Mayweather had been retired and came back for that, whereas Tyson’s eyeing up massive fights with Usyk so he should really be in his prime years.
‘It is a bad look. It isn’t the Tyson Fury we all know, though, so maybe he was expecting such an easy fight that he probably didn’t prepare with the right intensity.
‘To see how he looked the other night, it looked like the roles had reversed at times where Tyson looked like he’d come from another sport.’
Fury is now unbeaten in 35 fights and has been widely regarded as the best heavyweight on the planet since beating Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder.
However, after being pushed all the way by Ngannou, some fans and pundits have been left questioning his legacy in the sport.
Hatton does not believe Fury’s reputation has been tarnished, but admits the 35-year-old may now be past his best after his latest showing and hinted he could even consider retirement.
Fury has insisted his next fight will be against Oleksandr Usyk to crown an undisputed heavyweight champion, but Hatton is not convinced that match-ups against Usyk or Anthony Joshua will happen any time soon.
![Fury has claimed he will fight Oleksandr Usyk next, but Hatton is not completely convinced](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/01/12/77268811-12696755-image-a-10_1698842631991.jpg)
Fury has claimed he will fight Oleksandr Usyk next, but Hatton is not completely convinced
![Hatton has been left questioning whether Fury is past his best and may consider retirement after his performance against Ngannou](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/01/12/77268909-12696755-image-a-11_1698842729456.jpg)
Hatton has been left questioning whether Fury is past his best and may consider retirement after his performance against Ngannou
‘If this is the end for Tyson you can’t take away from what he’s done years before,’ Hatton said.
‘As much as people think Ngannou did so well, you’ve got to know that isn’t Tyson Fury at his best by any means. So whether it was an off-night or time has caught up with him, that wasn’t the proper Tyson Fury, it weren’t the Tyson that beat Klitschko or beat Wilder.
‘I don’t think it tarnishes his legacy, but those fights with Usyk and possibly fighting AJ seems further away than ever.’
Fury’s crossover bout with Ngannou was the second in as many weeks for the sport after his brother Tommy took on YouTuber KSI earlier in the month.
Crossover boxing has continued to grow this year, with more fans tuning in than ever and fighters being paid eye-watering sums of money.
Like the Furys, Hatton also comes from a fighting family as his father Ricky was a two-weight world champion and one of Britain’s most popular fighters ever in the 2000s.
Hatton has moved to 13-0 after turning professional two years ago, with fans keeping a close eye on his progress to see if he can follow in Ricky’s footsteps.
![Ricky Hatton (left) is a British boxing icon, but Campbell has no intention of using his name to help him move into crossover boxing](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/01/12/77266185-12696755-image-a-8_1698842349341.jpg)
Ricky Hatton (left) is a British boxing icon, but Campbell has no intention of using his name to help him move into crossover boxing
Another potential route for the 22-year-old prospect to go would be to use his family name to go into the crossover scene, but Hatton insists he has no interest in that and is fully focused on ‘proper boxing’.
‘I see my career in boxing,’ he confirmed. ‘They’re making mega money and they’re great events so you can see exactly why people do it, but it’s not something I’ve got my eye on.
‘All my sights are going through proper boxing and I want to make a name for myself that way.’
Hatton has ‘no issue’ with crossover fights taking place, but acknowledges they are starting to take centre stage ahead of clashes between boxing’s elite competitors.
He has called for the biggest fights to be made to ensure crossover boxing does not take over the sport, and wants the heavyweight division to lead by example.
![Hatton has no issue with crossover boxing like KSI's fight with Tommy Fury last month, but wants elite fights to be made to ensure it doesn't take over the sport](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/01/12/77266179-12696755-image-a-9_1698842466667.jpg)
Hatton has no issue with crossover boxing like KSI’s fight with Tommy Fury last month, but wants elite fights to be made to ensure it doesn’t take over the sport
‘The fights at the top level need to start happening. I think the heavyweights seems to let the sport down,’ Hatton added.
‘That’s what the casual fan wants to see, the big boys, and they’ve not been able to get the big fights made. It does let the sport down a bit, because I think some of the lighter weights, we’re starting to see it a little bit more.
‘We had Spence-Crawford, Davis-Garcia. It’s improving but I think the big-money division as they call it, we need to start seeing those fights happening because you look at AJ-Fury now, as much as neither of them are finished at the minute, I think it’s probably a couple of years overdue.
‘Boxing, when it gets it right, there’s no better sport in my opinion. When there’s a big fight coming up everyone’s buzzing for it. So I think it needs to get back to that.’