Tyson Fury admits Francis Ngannou proved to be a far bigger hurdle than he expected after a contentious split-decision victory.

The Gypsy King, 35, hit the canvas after a huge left hook in the third round but recovered to win 96-93 and 95-94 on two judges' cards, with the other scoring it 95-94 for Ngannou.

Fury's WBC title was not on the line for the crossover event against the former UFC heavyweight champion in Saudi Arabia.

He said: "That definitely wasn't in the script. 

"He's given me probably one of my toughest fights in the last 10 years. 

"Francis is a hell of a fighter, strong, big puncher, and a lot better boxer than we all thought he would be. 

"He's a very awkward man and he's a good puncher and I respect him a lot."

Ngannou, 37, took the decision with grace and warned the world of boxing that he had developed a taste for the sweet science.

He said: "It didn't go my way.

"I might have come up short today. I'll come back. Now I know I can do this.

"We can run it back again and I'm sure I'm going to get better.

"Get ready. The wolf is in the house. I'm going to bite some sheep."

Despite Ngannou's call for a rematch, Fury's focus will now turn to his undisputed heavyweight title showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.

The pair were expected to collide in December and traded words after last night's near-upset but Frank Warren has confirmed the fight has been put back until early 2024.