World Sports Advertising Delivers National UK Campaign for Fury vs Ngannou Clash
As two of combat sports’ biggest icons prepared to face off in one of the year’s most highly anticipated events, World Sports Advertising (WSA) was proud to lead the UK advertising campaign promoting Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou as part of the broader push around Riyadh Season.
Taking over high-impact locations across the UK—from Manchester to London—the campaign was designed to build mass awareness of the crossover fight, reinforce Saudi Arabia’s growing role in global sports entertainment, and drive ticket sales, viewership, and cultural relevance across mainstream and fight-fan audiences alike.
A Fight That Transcended Disciplines
The bout between Tyson Fury, the undefeated WBC heavyweight boxing champion, and Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight king, was far more than a sporting event. It was a cultural spectacle—merging two disciplines, fanbases, and promotional machines into one unmissable headline.
Hosted in Riyadh as part of Riyadh Season, the fight formed part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing campaign to position itself as a global destination for entertainment, sport, and investment. Our role was to ensure the UK—particularly the fight’s home markets in Manchester and London—felt the weight and scale of the event through a nationwide Out-of-Home (OOH) campaign.
Multi-City, Multi-Format Delivery
WSA’s approach was grounded in impact, coverage, and contextual relevance. We designed and delivered a campaign that spanned:
- Double decker bus wraps and supersides in key cities
- Taxi advertising across London, including branded liveries and tip seat panels
- Large-format billboards in high-traffic pedestrian and roadside areas
- Rail and Underground panels, targeting commuter audiences and sports fans on the move
In addition to London and Manchester—the home city of Fury—the campaign was extended into Birmingham and Leeds, ensuring national penetration and reinforcing the event’s mass appeal.
Key Objectives and Execution
The campaign had three clear goals:
- Maximise awareness across mainstream UK audiences ahead of the Riyadh fight night
- Celebrate the crossover nature of the fight, appealing to boxing fans, MMA followers, and wider sports audiences
- Align the event with world-class production and ambition, reinforcing Riyadh’s place as an emerging sports and entertainment hub
To meet these objectives, our team worked across local authority approvals, transport partnerships, creative adaptation, and campaign flighting, ensuring the media went live across multiple formats and cities within the critical promotional window.
Creating Presence in Urban Life
Sporting campaigns are most effective when they embed themselves in daily life. By placing the Fury vs Ngannou creative across everyday transport modes—buses, taxis, and trains—we ensured the message wasn’t just seen, but experienced at street level.
This also allowed us to tap into different audience behaviours:
- Commuters travelling into London or Manchester’s city centres
- Pedestrians and fans in leisure zones or near sports venues
- Drivers and passengers exposed to high-frequency roadside formats
The result was a campaign that felt omnipresent and high-stakes, mirroring the tone of the fight itself.
Part of a Wider Sporting Strategy
This activation marked another milestone in WSA’s growing portfolio of sports-led media campaigns. From crypto partnerships in Formula 1 to global football sponsorships and Olympic countdowns, we’ve helped brands and rights holders harness the power of sport as a platform for connection, conversation, and conversion.
In this case, we were proud to support Riyadh Season’s mission to drive international attention to its world-class calendar of events—placing one of its flagship spectacles in the heart of the UK public consciousness.
Why OOH Works for Sporting Moments
Out-of-Home advertising remains one of the most effective tools for promoting sporting events. Its visual nature, mass reach, and high-frequency repetition make it ideal for:
- Building anticipation
- Reinforcing event legitimacy
- Driving last-mile interest and tune-in intent
For once-in-a-generation crossover fights like Fury vs Ngannou, the medium matches the moment—delivering emotional weight, public presence, and creative energy in equal measure.
Powering Sporting Activations with Precision
At World Sports Advertising, we believe sports advertising works best when it’s more than just sponsorship—it’s about moments, placements, and storytelling.
The Fury vs Ngannou activation was a prime example of how WSA can take a high-profile sporting moment and translate it into a tangible media experience across cities, streets, and screens.
From early-stage planning to execution and wrap-up reporting, our team delivered the campaign with precision, pace, and passion.