British Boxing Star Anthony Joshua Takes on Cameroon’s Francis Ngannou in Anticipated Matchup
The pre-fight press conference between Francis Ngannou and Anthony Joshua set a tone of friendly banter on Thursday, but both fighters made it clear that their upcoming face-off in the ring would be far from amicable. Ngannou, the former UFC mixed martial arts heavyweight champion of Franco-Cameroonian descent, surprised the world with his pro-boxing debut in October. While he suffered a loss to British WBC champion Tyson Fury, Ngannou’s third-round knockdown sent shockwaves through the boxing community, hinting at his potential in the sport.
Ngannou expressed at the conference that his debut was just the beginning, emphasizing his dedication to building, training, and learning about boxing. Confident in his abilities, he revealed his aspiration to knock out the two-time world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, in their upcoming 10-round fight in Saudi Arabia.
For Joshua, the match holds significance as he aims to reclaim his status as a top contender. Acknowledging the challenge presented by Ngannou, Joshua highlighted the professional preparation he undergoes, including sparring and film study. However, he noted that when the night of the fight arrives, the textbook strategies go out the window, and the key is to be relentless and give one’s best in the ring.
Joshua, a former unified WBO, WBA, and IBF heavyweight champion, enters the bout with three successive wins but faced setbacks with consecutive losses against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk. Notably, Usyk is slated to fight Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight title in Saudi Arabia in May. If Joshua emerges victorious against Ngannou, he is set to face the winner of the Usyk-Fury fight.
The much-anticipated bout between Ngannou and Joshua is scheduled to take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Friday at 23h GMT, promising an exciting clash between two formidable fighters with different backgrounds in combat sports.
