Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou suffered a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua, but vowed that the defeat will not end his boxing career.
Francis Ngannou can’t quite recall if Anthony Joshua’s punches were the hardest he’s ever felt. Memory’s a bit hazy, you see.
Once a UFC heavyweight champ, Ngannou got knocked out cold by Joshua. It was a Friday. He hit the deck thrice in two rounds, with Joshua’s final overhand right sending him to dreamland.
“That was a clean one,” Ngannou admitted at the post-fight presser. “Didn’t even feel the punch. That’s how you know you’ve been knocked out. No pain.”
After the knockout, Ngannou was down for a bit. Got some oxygen, stood up eventually. He took to social media, apologizing: “Sorry guys, I let you all down.” Called it a “bad day in the office.”
“Sorry guys I let you all down Today was a bad day in the office but tomorrow will be another day.
Thank you all for the love ❤️” — Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) March 9, 2024
Ngannou gave Joshua his props. Joshua had him on the ropes from the get-go, never eased up. It was Joshua’s right hand that kept landing, causing all three knockdowns.
“His right was special, stopped me in my tracks,” Ngannou said. “Did what Tyson Fury couldn’t.”
“It wasn’t my day. He was better. It sucks, but that’s the game.”
This loss puts Ngannou at 0-2 in boxing. But losing to Joshua doesn’t exactly close doors for him. Joshua even urged him to stick with boxing at the post-fight presser.
Before this, Ngannou was eyeing a rematch with Tyson Fury after a close first bout. Now, who knows? Maybe he’ll face Deontay Wilder, another knockout artist.
Ngannou’s already signed up for his next MMA fight with the PFL, likely against Renan Ferreira. But he’s not making any promises about his future plans.
“Right now, I need some rest,” Ngannou said. “It’s been a hell of a day. I’ll think about what’s next. Maybe MMA, but I’m not done with boxing. Not by a long shot.”