Francis Ngannou ranked as top-10 heavyweight by WBC after impressive debut

By PA Sport Staff

Francis Ngannou’s impressive boxing debut has earned him a place in the top 10 of the WBC heavyweight rankings.

Ngannou pushed WBC champion Tyson Fury all the way in a 10-round contest in Riyadh last month, but lost by a contentious split decision on points to the British boxer.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou still earned plenty of admirers for his surprise strong showing after he knocked down Fury in the third round.

Cameroon-born Ngannou immediately signalled his intention to continue his career in boxing and has now been placed in 10th spot of the WBC rankings.

Earlier this month, Matchroom Sport chair Eddie Hearn suggested Ngannou could be a future opponent for former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua.

The WBC, a sanctioning body, announced its rankings for its respective weight divisions on Wednesday during a ratings session in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.