Francis Ngannou has shown to the world that anyone with commitment can succeed in combat sports by rising from the ranks of UFC heavyweight champion to one of the most sought-after boxing opponents.
Boxing fans are still talking about Francis Ngannou even though he lost to Tyson Fury in October 2023. This is because of how he fought on October 28, 2023, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. Anthony Joshua is the best example; even after winning the title match, he prepared to take on the “Predator.”
Francis Ngannou draws comparisons between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua
The bout between Francis Ngannou and Anthony Joshua got confirmation recently to take place in March this year. As soon as the confirmation was made, the verbal war had already started from the side of Ngannou this time. Francis reminded Joshua about his knockout punch blow to Tyson Fury, which put the WBC champion on the ground.
Francis Ngannou: “If Anthony Joshua takes the punch that Tyson Fury [was knocked down by], I don't guarantee that he's getting up. I've heard that he doesn't have a chin, I'm going to find out.” [@MMAFighting]
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) January 9, 2024
Francis Ngannou told MMA Fighting, “If Anthony Joshua takes the punch that Tyson Fury [was knocked down by], I don’t guarantee that he’s getting up. I’ve heard that he doesn’t have a chin; I’m going to find out.”
Comparing the punching power endurance of Tyson Fury with the former WBA champion’s endurance, the chilling warning from the Francis Ngannou side has questioned whether Anthony Joshua is still that big in boxing.
“At the end of the day, it’s great stuff for both of us. He could be my brother, and I’d still fight him because it elevates us both; it elevates the sport; it elevates the continent. It’s not about a fight. You are not fighting somebody because you hate him; you fight him because it’s a challenge, and the fight always elevates both fighters.”
Later, Ngannou showed a brotherly gesture towards his upcoming opponent with the statement, saying he will still fight Joshua and keep him in his brother-like zone because the former UFC heavyweight champion thinks this will elevate both fighters’ careers.
Who is the only fighter to KO Anthony Joshua?
The claim Francis Ngannou is making to give a second knockout loss to Anthony Joshua can also be a reminder for the former WBA champion of his last defeat, as he received a knockout loss only once in his career when he lost his WBA heavyweight titles for the first time.
It was the fight against Andry Ruiz Jr. on the night of June 1st, 2019 at Madison Square Garden, New York, when Joshua received a knockout blow from Ruiz in the 7th of 12 rounds of the fight. Joshua was on a 22-fight winning streak with no losses so far until the year 2018, when at the 23rd fight, the streak came to an end.
This will be interesting to see his resilience against Ngannou, who is known for his punching power. It will test the pain-enduring skill of the fighter who received a knockout loss only once in his career.
Will Francis Ngannou repeat the same thing Andy Ruiz Jr. did to Anthony Joshua? Share with us in the comments below.
