Reveals his intent to make an impact in boxing ahead of his clash with Anthony Joshua
- Former UFC champ Francis Ngannou is in incredible shape for his fight with Anthony Joshua, signaling his intent to make an impact in boxing.
- Ngannou is confident and determined to beat Joshua, even claiming he will be the one taking his soul.
- This fight is significant for both fighters – if Ngannou wins, he establishes himself as a threat in heavyweight boxing, while a Joshua win could lead to a fight against the winner of Usyk vs Fury
Ngannou vs Joshua is several weeks away yet, but images of the former UFC champion in training have emerged, and he’s looking insane, Mark Matthew reports for Give Me Sport.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou looks to be in the shape of his life as he prepares for his fight with Anthony Joshua in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which is slated to take place on the 8th of March.
The former MMA superstar turned heavyweight boxer is looking shredded, signaling his intent to make an impact within the boxing world. This will be the Cameroonian’s second professional boxing fight after he controversially lost to Tyson Fury in a split decision in October 2023. This was despite knocking down the WBC champion in round three and coming across a lot better than his opponent on the night.
Ngannou is set to fight Joshua after AJ’s proposed fight with Deontay Wilder following the Americans’ defeat to Joseph Parker on the ‘Day of Reckoning’ card just two days before Christmas. On the same night, one fight later, Joshua beat Swede Otto Wallin via corner retirement.
Images: Francis Ngannou’s current physique
| Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou tale of the tape | ||
|---|---|---|
| Anthony Joshua | Francis Ngannou | |
| Age | 34 | 37 |
| Fights | 30 | 1 |
| Wins | 27 | 0 |
| Losses | 3 | 1 |
| Knockouts | 24 | 0 |
| Height | 6ft 6in | 6ft 4in |
| Weight | 250lbs | 258lbs |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
What has been said by Ngannou & Joshua
Ngannou is very clearly full of confidence and desire to beat Joshua, and during an interview with The High-Performance Podcast, he made some bold claims, including a chilling remark.
He said: “Never say never. Nothing is impossible. We don’t know the strength of Anthony Joshua. Even though I don’t believe he has that strength, we will find out. In two months, we’re going to find out. I’m going to be the one taking his soul.”
This is shaping into an intriguing fight with a great deal at stake. Should Ngannou win, he would establish himself as an actual threat to heavyweight boxers and could set himself up for a proper career. However, should Joshua win, it could provide him with a pathway to fighting the winner of Oleksandr Usyk vs Fury, and we all know how long the boxing world has been waiting for a fight between Britain’s two most prominent boxers of the last decade. Joshua, however, has said he is entirely focused on his fight with Ngannou.
He told MMA Hour: “Let me repeat this: I’m not focusing on that. I’m going to take my mind off. I have to draw it back: Ngannou is my undisputed title fight. That’s the mentality I have to have.
“Ngannou is my undisputed fight. Because you’re only as good as your last fight, and I greatly respect him. He ain’t easy money. He’s a hard night’s work. And you know what’s crazy? So am I. I’m a hard night’s work for anyone. So let’s go, it’s going to be fireworks.”
That typical AJ bravado still shines through, and it is a massive shift in attitude towards a fight with Ngannou, given that at one point, he described a fight with Ngannou as a “gimmick.”
He respects Ngannou as a boxer more than he did just a few weeks ago, and you have to wonder what has changed (money, it’s probably money). Regardless, this should be an exciting fight, and quite clearly, both Joshua and Ngannou are massively up for it.
