03/08/2024
BOXING - Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou:
Ex World Heavyweight Champion, Anthony , will slug it out with Francis , today, Friday, March 8, 2024 (The undercard starts at 4pm GMT with Joshua v Ngannou due around 11pm). The battles are all be in Saudi .
is a dual citizen of and Cameroon, a former UFC heavyweight champion, now fights in MMA for the Professional Fighters League, while Joshua, Ex Heavyweight Boxing Champions, is a Nigerian/ citizen.
Ngannou shocked the world on his professional boxing debut last October in , Saudi Arabia, controvacially lost in a 10-round ‘Battle of the Baddest’ to WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on a controvacial split decision, after knocking Furry down to the canvas in the third round.
During the pre-bout press confrence, Ngannou warned his opponents: “I’m just getting started, the road is long, I want one more victory over Tyson Fury, and I intend to have a second one. I am really intending to gain a lot of major victories like this [against Joshua].
“You (pointing to Fury) are going to sleep in the [ring] again and I’m going to wipe the ring with your a--- again. The boxing ring protects you. Outside the ring I’d beat you every day and twice on Sundays.”
Still on the preparations, Joshua´s Trainer said Anthony Joshua would be taking no chances. “We’ve prepared for every scenario, “and when you think that almost everyone was dismissive [of Ngannou] the last time, I still think it will be a whole new experience. We have not underestjmated him and we have prepared for him to have new layers to his game.”
Anthony Joshua followed up: “I am not underestimating Francis. His first dream was to be a boxer and people forget that; he has been doing this from a young age. I look at all these details. But the textbook goes out of the window when the bell rings. You have to be relentless. It’s written in the stars I’m going to fulfill my destiny.”
He continued....“I feel the pressure, and we need to entertain.
“I’ve shared the ring with Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker [both fighting on the card] now I’m sharing the ring with Francis. One day I will share the ring with Tyson [Fury]. Let’s go, the best man will always win. It’s not rocket science.”
If Joshua defeats Ngannou on Friday night here, all talk will switch to the outcome of Fury against Oleksandr in May as they battle the undisputed heavyweight crown, and the prospect of that elusive, much vaunted blockbuster between Joshua and Fury. It may just happen.
And if Ngannou defeats Joshua, then no doubt, the world of boxing will like to see Ngoannou fight Fury again, to see if Ngannou can take the Belts, and bring back long-expected spark in World Heavyweight Boxing arena, which was lost since the likes of Mike , , Lenox Lewis and their likes exited the ring.
