- Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou lost on a split-decision to Tyson Fury
- Dewey Cooper is the Cameroonian’s head coach as he transitions into boxing
- Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou LIVE: All the reaction and fallout from pundits and celebrities as ‘Gypsy King’ secures controversial split decision victory over UFC star in Saudi Arabia
Francis Ngannou‘s head coach Dewey Cooper has claimed the president of the WBC said the former UFC champion will be ranked in the top ten heayweights.
Ngannou suffered a narrow, split-decision loss to Tyson Fury but many fans have come away saying the Cameroonian was robbed.
The 37-year-old dropped Fury in the third round with a thunderous left hook, however the Gypsy King battled back to eventually secure the win.
This sets up Fury for an incredible unification bout with the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk for the honour of becoming the first undisputed world heavyweight champion for more than a decade.
However Cooper, a former kickboxer, has claimed president of the WBC Mauricio Sulaimán is going to rank Ngannou in the heavyweight top 10.
Dewey Cooper coached Francis Ngannou in the build up to a boxing debut against Tyson Fury
Mexican Mauricio Sulaimán is the current president of the World Boxing Council (WBC)
Ngannou dropped Fury in the third round with a sharp left hook, but the Gypsy King fought back to claim the win
Speaking outside the ring after the fight Cooper was asked if there was any chance Ngannou would fight the likes of Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua.
Cooper claimed: ‘Absolutely, Mauricio Sulaimán the president of WBC said he is going to rank him (Ngannou) in the top ten becuase he is better than most of the heavyweights in the top ten.
‘He said that in the ring, so absolutely you’ll see him again.’
Wilder and Joshua are the current number one and two ranked contenders in the WBC rankings, followed by the 17-0 Arslanbek Makhmudov.
Other notable names in top ten are Andy Ruiz Jr, who famously beat Anthony Joshua, and veteran Brit Dillian Whyte.
While Ngannou did impress on his boxing debut, displaying an iron chin and landing some big shots, he still ultimately came away with a loss.
Fury put together a disjointed and slow performance in Riyadh and with Usyk sitting ringside the Ukrainian will hope this Gypsy King is the one who turns up to fight him.
Ngannou landed some big shots during the fight and also showed an iron chin when struck with some heavy fury jabs
