Tag

Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou

Browsing

Anthony Joshua, the former world heavyweight champion who lost his belts to Oleksandr Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2021, will face Francis Ngannou in a 10-round heavyweight clash called ‘Knockout Chaos’.

Joshua, a former unified WBO, WBA, and IBF heavyweight champion, has won his last three fights against Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, and Otto Wallin. He aims to extend it to four straight wins when he faces Ngannou in his second boxing game.

Ngannou held the title of UFC heavyweight champion before he exited the promotion to pursue his boxing career, amassing a record of 17 wins and three losses in MMA.

Here’s what to know ahead of the fight

Date

The fight is scheduled for Friday, March 8, 2024, and the show starts at 4 p.m. GMT.

Francis Ngannou vs. Anthony Joshua set for March 8th - The Who Dat Daily

Venue

The clash will take place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fight is scheduled for a Friday, instead of the usual Saturday night to avoid conflicting with the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix on March 9.

Where to watch

The bout will be live on different pay-per-view channels.

Boxing records

Joshua: Total fights: 3; Record: 27-3 (24 KOs)

Ngannou: Total fights: 1; Record: 0-1

Is there a title on the line?

There is no title on the line when Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou face off. Joshua lost multiple belts to Usyk and was unable to regain them in their rematch. Similarly, Ngannou was unsuccessful in his attempt to claim Fury’s WBC crown, suffering a defeat against the Briton.

How to Watch Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou: Date and Time in the US,  UK, Cameroon, Ukraine and 13 Other Countries, Check out the Broadcasting  Details for AJ vs Ngannou

What they are saying

Joshua: “This Friday it’s going to go down, so I can’t wait for the opportunity to show my skills and combat this person who thinks he can knock me out. I believe I can knock him out. Definitely. I would love to knock him out and make a statement.

“I’m just ready for a good fight – someone who’s got two arms and I know where the jabs come from, the hooks, the body shots, the right hand, the right hook – so I can be ready for the shots coming my way.

READ MORE ;Anthony Joshua ranks the greatest heavyweights ever and does NOT put Tyson Fury in the top tier but where does he place Francis Ngannou ahead of their Saudi showdown?

“He has to be ready for the shots which are coming his way because I’m a man who will be standing in front of him, bringing him a lot of hell and problems as well.”

Ngannou: “I believe if I land on anyone, I will knock them out. The question is how to land? That’s the hardest thing.

Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou simulation ends in huge knockout

“Almost everyone in this division can knock anyone out, but how do you land or carry that power and energy to 10 rounds and still hit someone hard or knock somebody out after all the fatigue? It’s a chess game.

“I didn’t have any experience in boxing but don’t make any mistake. I’ve had a lot of experience in life and a lot of experience fighting. I’ve built my fighting spirit as high as anyone else. I know I can fight.”

A late-notice world title fight between Israil Madrimov and Magomed Kurbanov is reportedly set to feature on the Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou bill on March 8.

The belt is currently in Jermell Charlo’s possession but isn’t expected to be for much longer.

Charlo has already been forced to relinquish the WBC, IBF and WBO belts and will be stripped of his WBA title once the bell rings for Madrimov vs Kurbanov.

READ MORE ;Anthony Joshua Changes Tune 2 Weeks Before Heavyweight Fight With Francis Ngannou

According to esteemed boxing journalist Jake Donovan, the bout is pending final approval from Saudi Arabia before it is officially added to Joshua and Ngannou’s undercard.

Madrimov and Kurbanov agreed to box each other months ago although the bout has been delayed for reasons out of their control.

Madrimov (8-0-1), a decorated Uzbeki amateur boxer who won gold medals at the 2017 Asian Championships and 2018 Asian Games, is ranked No1 by the WBA at 154lb.

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: Date, start time, TV channel and live  stream | DAZN News US

In December 2021, he was elevated to the top of the major sanctioning body’s world rankings after stopping former world title challenger Michel Soro in the ninth round.

However, the result was marred by controversy as Madrimov’s finishing onslaught continued after the bell.

As a result, a rematch was called seven months later but an unintentional clash of heads in the third round led to the fight being declared a technical draw.

UPDATE ;Francis Ngannou announces next fight weeks before Anthony Joshua showdown

Madrimov has been sitting in limbo ever since.

Like Madrimov, Kubranov (24-0) also comes from an impressive amateur pedigree having won gold at the 2008 World Youth Championships.

He is currently ranked No 2 by the WBA and holds notable wins over Liam Smith and Patrick Teixeira in the paid ranks.

Anthony Joshua's Promoter Insists His Client Will Beat Francis Ngannou

Fights that have already been confirmed for Joshua and Ngannou’s undercard are Zhilei Zhang vs Joseph Parke, Rey Vargas vs Nick Ball, Mark Chamberlain vs Gavin Gwynne and Andrii Novytskyi vs Juan Torres.

Meanwhile, Justis Huni, Ziyad Almaayouf, Roman Fury and Jack McGann are also expected to feature.

RELATED ;‘He didn’t want to discuss’: Eddie Hearn says Gervonta Davis rejected offer for Conor Benn, talks Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou

Joshua and Ngannou’s crossover clash will be broadcast worldwide by DAZN PPV and is also available in the UK on Sky Sports Box Office.

The unique broadcasting deal that sees two of boxing’s biggest broadcasters share the television rights was spearheaded by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, in a bid to get as many eyes on the event as possible.

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn spent some time talking with iFL TV about a number of topics, including not making any headway with Gervonta Davis on a proposal to fight Conor Benn. While that might be a bummer for Hearn & Co, he does say he’s received interest in another big fight for Benn that will largely depend on an impending ruling from the British Boxing Board of Control following Benn’s recent hearing with the commission.

READ MORE ;WHY ;Gervonta Davis Did Not Accept Conor Benn Fight Offer, Eddie Hearn Confirms

Also, Hearn touches on the upcoming heavyweight matchup between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou, explaining how this is a must-win situation for his prized heavyweight.

Hearn on Gervonta Davis turning down his offer to face Conor Benn

“We made him an offer, which he felt he didn’t want to discuss further…It was over the $10 [million guaranteed] but it also had PPV bonuses beyond that, gate bonuses beyond that. So it could’ve been $20M, could’ve been $25M. But he didn’t really want to discuss it.

Eddie Hearn On A Potential Gervonta Davis And Conor Benn Fight

“I made him an offer that I felt was an offer that was quite powerful for the fight and could also lead to a lot more than that beyond the basic but, you know…I think he probably don’t really understand the dynamic of the deal, the numbers. I might go back.

RELATED ;“I’m Not Ryan Garcia”: Keith Thurman Cautions Gervonta Davis of the “Challenge” if They Ever Fight

 

“I mean, to be honest with you regarding Conor Benn, he’s had his hearing now and we’ll get the results of that in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully all being positive, there was a situation that came up yesterday with a potential fight which I’m not going to go into but it would be a massive opportunity for Conor.”

Gervonta Davis vs. Conor Benn: Eddie Hearn confirms the fight is a 'done'  deal | Marca

On his level of nervousness for the Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou fight

“I’m always nervous about every AJ fight, especially that one because it’s just the unknown, isn’t it? I mean we know more than we did, and what we got to see was a lot better than what I thought, which was a very capable boxer who is very strong, hits very hard, and has no fear. But you’re fighting a guy who’s 0-1 which brings more pressure into it. So it’s a must-win for AJ.”