Image source, Reuters

That's all for this live page. So close to the biggest shock in boxing history as Tyson Fury survives an almighty scare to beat Francis Ngannou by the tightest margin possible with a split decision victory.

Thanks for joining us and until next time, bye for now.

Bobbie Jackson
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury claimed a controversial split decision victory over former UFC fighter Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia.

Ngannou, 37, put Fury on the canvas in round three after connecting with a left hook.

But while one judge scored it 95-94 in favour of Ngannou, two gave it to Fury at 96-93 and 95-94. Fury's WBC heavyweight belt was not on the line.

Image source, Getty Images

British middleweight Chris Eubank Jr, writing on X, says: "Watching from ringside I thought Ngannou won the fight. It was close but he was the aggressor, landed heavier shots & scored a knockdown. Fury deserved to lose after having so much trouble against a man who has never boxed before… too much time filming Netflix specials not enough time in the gym I’m guessing. Unlucky Francis.

Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk and Frank Warren speaking to TNT Sports ahead of the possibility of Fury v Usyk for all the heavyweight gold in December.

Fury: "It's been going on a long time. We were supposed to fight in April at Wembley and it didn't happen. Let's go my brother, let's go."

Usyk: "Let's go. I'll be fighting him amazing."

Fury: "It isn't up to me. It'll be our next fight, don't you worry about that."

Usyk: "It's a big fight. I want this fight."

Warren: "I don't think the date will be announced yet. The fight is done. Tyson has a cut there. There's no point setting a date yet. Everybody wants this fight and it will break all box office records."

Usyk: "We're back in this ring 23rd December."

Conor McGreger speaking to TNT Sports after Tyson Fury's split decision win over Francis Ngannou: "I loved the shot, caught him on the back of the head. Tyson could not hurt him. Great fight. Heavyweight fighting is exciting. I saw Anthony Joshua and now I've seen Fury. Some great fighters in boxing. Add Usyk into that. I wish them all well, fair play to them."

Ewan Simpson: No matter which side you think won, how can one judge possibly give that 96-93 to Fury?! Knockdown, and for me he comfortably lost five rounds, arguably more!

Andrew Priestley: Heartbreak for Ngannou, but you could see that judges’ scorecard decision coming a mile off. How one of the judges scored that fight 96-93 in Fury’s favour, I’ll never know. Usyk will have been licking his lips after watching that Tyson Fury performance from ringside.

Dante Banks: No idea what fight the judges were watching, because in the one I saw Fury was comfortably beaten.

YouTuber KSI: Congrats Ngannou, you’re the people’s champ.

NBA sensation LeBron James: Exactly why I don't watch boxing! C'mon man!

IBF flyweight champion Sunny Edwards: Fury massively overlooked Ngannou, found himself in deeper water than he thought he would & couldn’t get out of it. Close fight on the scorecards but have Francis Ngannou edging the rounds out when he needed to.

Francis Ngannou speaking to TNT Sports after his split decision loss to Tyson Fury: "I'm feeling great. I'm very happy. It didn't go my way. I want to thank Riyadh Season for giving me the opportunity to prove people wrong once again. I might be wounded, but I can bite. I'm ready to fight any time soon. We can run it back again and I'm sure I'll get better. This is my first boxing match, I'm not using it as an excuse. At first, I was nervous, this new sport. Now I know I can do it."

On 644 days out the ring: "I came out from a long recovery, long surgery. My training camp was over three months. I worked hard, I gave my best. I will go back with my team and look what I can do next to improve my game. I know the temperature of the water now and I'm ready to take over."

Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on TNT Sports

A dreadful Tyson Fury performance. His timing looked bad. How much of that was caused by Ngannou not playing Fury's game? Ngannou not taking stupid risks. He then dropped Fury in round three and absolutely threw him off the plate.

That was a bad Tyson Fury performance. He got away with one tonight, he really did.

Three-time world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, speaking on TNT Sports: "I thought Tyson Fury won. Ngannou really surprised me, he showed really good poise and patience."

Carl Frampton
Former world champion on TNT Sports

I thought Ngannou won that fight. At times I could not believe what I was watching. Francis came in to his first boxing match and was fighting the heavyweight champion of the world, how was he supposed to win?

But in my eyes he won. He boxed beautifully at times.

Tyson Fury speaking to TNT Sports after a split decision win over Francis Ngannou: "That definitely wasn't in the script. Francis is a hell of a fighter, a strong, great puncher.

On Francis Ngannou: "He's a very awkward man, a great puncher and I respect him a lot. He wasn't coming forward, he was standing back and waiting for me. He's given me probably my toughest fight in 10 years."

On being knocked down in the third: "I got caught round the back of the head. I wasn't hurt. I got up and got back to my boxing."

On the split decision win: "I don't know how close it was, but I got the win and that's how it was. You can see it here, ring rust. Fair play to Francis, he cut my head here. It was a good fight."

What's next: "I'm going to go home, I've been in training camp for 12 weeks. I'll take a long hard rest and see what's next for us."

Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk has been talked about for Saturday, 23 December back in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Promoter Frank Warren says Saudi Arabia will be the venue, but is unsure about the date, saying it all depends on when the cut to the Fury forehead clears up.

Fury holds the WBC belt, Usyk the others.

We now have Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in the ring together. They were meant to be fighting each other earlier this year.

Fury says he wants it. Usyk says "let's go".

"It will be our next fight, guaranteed," adds Fury.

Lennox Lewis says Tyson Fury deserved to win this fight, Carl Frampton says Francis Ngannou deserved to get the decision.

A verdict that is going to be talked about for days, weeks, months.

While Tyson Fury leaves with his unbeaten record intact, Francis Ngannou leaves with all the credit. What a performance in his first ever professional boxing match - and he floored the current WBC world champion.

There were a few boos from the home crowd when the decision was announced but Fury leaves with his unbeaten record intact.

Tyson Fury instantly calls the bout "one of the toughest fights" he has had in 10 years.

Full quotes coming up.

Tyson Fury gets the verdict.

One judge gives it to Francis Ngannou 95-94, one has it 96-93 to Fury with the deciding judge calling it 95-94 to Fury.

Fury wins by the tightest margin possible.

Here come the decisions...

Will this be the start of a boxing career for Francis Ngannou?