Anthony Joshua is set to face MMA’s lineal heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a 10-round boxing match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in March, after Deontay Wilder’s loss to Joseph Parker disrupted plans for a Joshua vs. Wilder showdown.
Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn from Matchroom Sport had to switch gears. Deontay Wilder’s surprise defeat to Joseph Parker put a damper on the much-anticipated Joshua vs. Wilder face-off. But hey, their plan B ain’t half bad.
Joshua’s next opponent? None other than MMA’s heavyweight champ, Francis Ngannou. The two are set to duke it out in a 10-round boxing match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, come March.
Hearn’s reaction to the match-up? “Obviously delighted, just a great fight,” he confessed on The MMA Hour.
He’s aware of the clips where he doubted Ngannou’s chances against Tyson Fury. But now? He believes Ngannou’s earned this shot. He’s even rooting for the fight.
Hearn’s betting on Joshua to win, but he acknowledges the risk. Ngannou’s a formidable opponent, with a punch that can knock the wind out of you. But Hearn’s confident in Joshua’s form and expects him to dominate the match.
Joshua, an Olympic champ and heavyweight title contender, was supposed to face Wilder on March 9. That was if both he and the American won their respective matches at the Day of Reckoning event on Dec. 23. Joshua did his bit, but Wilder didn’t, losing to Parker.
So, Wilder’s loss is Ngannou’s gain.
Ngannou, aka “The Predator,” has a 0-1 record as a professional boxer. But he shocked everyone by giving Tyson Fury a run for his money in their Oct. 28 bout. He even knocked down Fury in the third round and was a hair’s breadth away from one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
Hearn defends Ngannou’s credibility as an opponent. He dismisses claims of this being a mere ‘cash grab.’ He emphasizes the stakes for Joshua. A loss to Ngannou, who’s 0-1, wouldn’t look good. So, Joshua’s going all out to avoid that.
Hearn insists they’re taking this seriously. They view Ngannou as a significant threat and are training with everything they’ve got to win.
The timing of the match works for both fighters. Ngannou’s stock in combat sports is at an all-time high. Joshua, on the other hand, is back in the championship mix after bouncing back from consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk with three straight wins in 2023.
Joshua’s yet to finalize his camp specifics. He’ll decide soon whether Ben Davison will continue as his head trainer for Ngannou. That decision’s likely to be made “this week.”
More details about the bout will be announced at a press conference in London on Jan. 15. Hearn’s happy with how things are shaping up. He’s confident in Joshua’s abilities but acknowledges Ngannou’s knack for defying odds in his combat sports career.
Hearn still believes that Joshua will outbox Ngannou in this fight. But he admits he’s been wrong before. He’s an AJ fanboy, after all. He acknowledges the danger Ngannou poses. He’s a real threat, and he’s fearless.
Ngannou’s already back to sparring, which Hearn admits is a bit unnerving. He’s dangerous because he’s unpredictable. He’s been in the ring now, so he’s going to be even more dangerous.
The fight’s going to be a nail-biter. Both fighters have the power to knock the other out. It’s going to be electric.