The heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou Friday is shaping up to be far more than a boxing-mixed martial arts crossover.
Tyson Fury said he’ll give the winner a shot at his undisputed world heavyweight title — assuming Fury still has it after fighting Oleksandr Usyk May 18.
Also at stake:
For Ngannou, the former UFC champion, it’s a chance to prove he’s a formidable boxer. He delivered a stunning performance in October in his pro boxing debut.
Pitted against world champ Tyson Fury, Ngannou, 37, scored the only knockdown of the fight and landed punishing blows before losing a controversial split decision. But he said he has not yet shocked the world.
“I’m still in the factory, building,” Ngannou, a native of Cameroon, said this week. “You know, training, learning.”
For Joshua, the Brit, it’s an opportunity to continue his re-ascension. Joshua (27-3, 24 KO’s) has won three straight bouts after losing back-to-back fights to Usyk. But a loss to Ngannou would create serious doubts about whether Joshua, 34, can ever reclaim the championship belts he lost to Usyk in 2021.
“I’m looking forward to the occasion,” Joshua said.
Zhilei Zhang vs. Joseph Parker live round-by-round
This co-main event is a heavyweight match scheduled for 12 rounds.
Round 1: Big Bang Zhang, 6-foot-6 and 256 pounds, towering over Parker, who’s listed as 6-4 but suddenly looks much smaller. Tactical here, as fighters gauging each other and range. Forgettable round, Zhang slightly more aggressive. Zhang 10, Parker 9.
