Anthony Joshua knocked out former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in the second round of their boxing match in Saudi Arabia.
Anthony Joshua’s knockout of Francis Ngannou was brutal. The former UFC heavyweight champ went down hard in the second round of their Saudi Arabia showdown on Friday.
Ngannou’s night was a disaster. He’d almost upset Tyson Fury in his pro boxing debut, but his second ring appearance went south fast. Confidence was there early on, but Joshua’s straight right hand put him down in the first round.
It got worse. Joshua connected with another hard right in the second round, dropping Ngannou again. The Cameroon native got up, but his night ended shortly after.
Joshua didn’t let up. He landed a vicious overhand right while Ngannou was still shaky. Ngannou was out before he hit the canvas, folding up and hitting the ground. The ref waved off the fight immediately.
The end came 2:38 into the second round.
Joshua’s take on his knockout punch? “It is what it is,” he said. He called Ngannou an inspiration and said the loss doesn’t diminish his abilities. “He can come again. I told him he shouldn’t leave boxing.”
Ngannou was motionless on the canvas for a few minutes post-knockout. He eventually sat up for some oxygen, got to his feet, and shared a moment with Joshua before the result was announced. He left the ring without speaking.
Ngannou’s second boxing venture ended dramatically different from his first. Despite being new to the sport, he seemed comfortable at the start of the fight, even switching to a southpaw stance. But Joshua’s straight punch caught him off guard, putting him down.
Ngannou barely beat the 10 count to get up. The round ended before Joshua could inflict more damage.
Round two started, and Joshua knew his right hand was on target. Ngannou couldn’t track the shot, and a second right put him back on the canvas.
Once up, Ngannou was on borrowed time. Joshua’s overhand right ended the fight, with replays showing Ngannou’s legs folding as he fell unconscious. Joshua celebrated his victory.
Joshua had called the matchup a gimmick fight but praised Ngannou for stepping into his world. He’s now eyeing the Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight, hoping to face the winner.
“I’m just here to fight,” Joshua said. “I just want to fight.”
Ngannou’s knockout loss to Joshua ends a remarkable six-month run that began with signing to fight Fury. What’s next for him is uncertain, but a return to MMA seems likely, with Renan Ferreira waiting for a chance to face him in the PFL.