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WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has doubled down on the decision to rank Francis Ngannou in the top 10, despite the former UFC heavyweight champion's recent defeat to Anthony Joshua.
Last week, Ngannou was defeated by Anthony Joshua in just six minutes after just two rounds of fighting.
The Cameroonian MMA fighter never had a chance against the British heavyweight boxer and was knocked down three times.
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Anthony Joshua back in the gym after knockout win against Francis Ngannou
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WBC Sticking to the Decision
Speaking to Sky Sport, said Sulaiman, "100 per cent [we stand by the decision to rank him in the top 10], just by facts. Everybody criticised the WBC, myself, the ratings committee.”
Sulaiman emphasized that the decision to rank Ngannou was based on facts and adherence to WBC rules, rather than popularity or public opinion. "It is about tendency, we don't go or rule or make decisions by popularity. It is not a popularity contest," he asserted.
"We go by facts, by rules and the ranking of Ngannou was perfectly supported by the WBC rules which is clear in the criteria from rankings that we consider the activity of the fighter in other contact sports," Sulaiman added.
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Defending Ngannou's Performance
He compared Ngannou's situation to boxing history, mentioning instances where great fighters like Joe Frazier faced knockout defeats but remained champions.
"Ngannou came close to beating the WBC champion Fury, knocked him down, and it was close to a split decision," Sulaiman highlighted.
Sulaiman also praised Joshua's performance, acknowledging his dominance in the fight. However, he reiterated his support for Ngannou's ranking, emphasizing that the decision was based on objective criteria.
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"We are doing the rankings for this month as we speak and we will see where the committee places Ngannou," Sulaiman concluded.
Despite the loss to Joshua, Ngannou remains a significant figure in the world of combat sports, with his transition to boxing continuing to generate interest and discussion among fans and pundits alike.
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