Joshua scored the destructive finish of Ngannou many expected from the former UFC champion’s debut in the sport

If there was any lingering doubts about Anthony Joshua and his abilities, the British superstar erased them in short order on Friday. Joshua delivered a thunderous knockout of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It took Joshua less than two rounds to put away Ngannou and he did so in style with a pair of knockdowns before the emphatic final blow.

Joshua, who previously held three of the four recognized titles in the division, sent a message that he’s still an elite opponent to Tyson Fury, who was seated ringside for the bout. Fury struggled against Ngannou last October, suffering a knockdown before settling for a split decision win. Joshua now waits to see how Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk plays out before setting his next course of action. Joshua suffered a pair of decision defeats to Usyk in 2021 and 2022 to drop his titles.

READ MORE ;Devastating Anthony Joshua Wipes Out Francis Ngannou in Two Rounds

Ngannou was not interviewed post fight, which has become a more common practice after fighters suffer such a devastating knockout, but he did post a statement on social media shortly after the fight.

“Sorry guys I let you all down,” Ngannou said. “Today was a bad day in the office but tomorrow will be another day. Thank you all for the love.”

Elsewhere on the card, Joseph Parker continued his ascent back to heavyweight title contention as he scored a majority decision over Zhilei Zhang in the co-main event. The win secured Parker the WBO interim title and could get hi a shot at Fury or Usyk, though he is a training partner with the “Gypsy King.” Parker earned the nod despite suffering a pair of knockdowns in the fight as Zhang was simply not active enough to win rounds. Plus, Rey Vargas managed to hold on to his WBC featherweight title, but by the slimmest of margins against Nick Ball. The two fight to a split draw, meaning the champion could not lose his title.

RELATED ; WATCH ;Francis Ngannou knocked out by Anthony Joshua in Round 2 of heavyweight stunner

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• Anthony Joshua def. Francis Ngannou via second-round knockout
• Joseph Parker def. Zhilei Zhang (c) via majority decision (113-113, 114-112, 115-111)
• Rey Vargas (c) vs. Nick Ball ends in a split draw (114-112, 110-115, 113-113) — Vargas retains
• Israil Madrimov (c) def. Magomed Kubranov via fifth-round TKO —  vacant WBA super welterweight title
• Mark Chamberlain def. Gavin Gwynne via fourth-round TKO

Follow live coverage of today’s heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and the former UFC world champion Francis Ngannou

Joshua vs Ngannou fight start time update

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.

Follow live coverage of today’s heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and the former UFC world champion Francis Ngannou

Zhilei Zhang is about to face Joseph Parker in a showdown for the WBO interim heavyweight championship, in the fight before Anthony Joshua’s clash with Francis Ngannou.

Both contenders are currently enjoying something of a hot streak and a victory would thrust them into contention for the world title. Particularly as the championship belts are expected to fracture following Oleksandr Usyk’s anticipated unification bout against Tyson Fury later this year.

Zhang endured his maiden professional loss against Filip Hrgović in August 2022, yet he triumphed over Joe Joyce twice last year. And he has vowed to swiftly defeat former world champion Parker in their upcoming match.

He told Queensberry: “Their team will study my fights, and study the Hrgovic fight and the Jerry Forrest fight (a majority draw). They believe going into the second half of the fight, my conditioning will go down, and they will have the leverage to beat me on points.

“Even if that happens, I’ll beat him in deep water. I prefer to do it with Chinese speed. I don’t yet have the opportunity to go against the top two (Fury and Uzyk), but when that day comes, I’ll be beating them.”

CompuBox’s fight analysis: “At the halfway point of the fight, Vargas held a 59 to 30 advantage in power punches landed and a 40 to 13 advantage in body punches landed.

“After averaging 9.8 power punches landed over rounds 1-6, Vargas’s production dipped to 7.6 power punches landed in rounds 7-12. Ball out-landed Vargas 58 to 47 over rounds 7-12, in addition to knocking Vargas down in rounds eight and eleven.”

Manny Pacquiao has just spoken to Sky Sports and the boxing legend seems to think the mixed martial artist could upset his peer this evening!

“I love this fight because it’s going to be a good fight. Ngannou is a fighter, he’s very strong. And I back Ngannou,” he said.

“Joshua needs to defend well and to move around. He can’t stand there and go toe to toe.”

Pacquiao was also asked about his future in the sport. Earlier in the night, Conor Benn suggested he could take on the 45-year-old later this year.

“Yeah I’m working on it and I hope we can finalise it after this event and before I go back home,” Pacquiao added.

Rey Vargas has also just spoken to DAZN. Through the help of a translator, he has said he is happy to face Nick Ball in a rematch.

“Of course I did enough (to win),” he said. “I have character and I have courage. He had the crowd behind him.

“Fitness was an issue. And a year with no activity impacted my performance. But I got a draw even though I did not like the way they counted those knockdowns.

“But yes, of course I will give him a rematch.”

Frank Warren, Nick Ball’s promoter, is incandescent. He tells DAZN he’s certain the WBC will order an immediate rematch.

“He won the fight. We’re not crybabies. But he won the fight. Listen to the crowd,” Warren says.

“I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t understand it. He had him down twice. I’m sure the rematch will be ordered by the WBC.”

• Anthony Joshua faces Francis Ngannou in a heavyweight boxing match up in Saudi Arabia.
• The bout at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena begins at 2am local time on Saturday (23:00 GMT on Friday).

• ‘I believe I can knock him out’

  Anthony Joshua says he’s relishing the contest in the latest code crossover between boxing and Mixed Martial Arts.

  Francis Ngannou was scoffed at when he opted to make his boxing debut against world champion Tyson Fury in the so-called “Battle of the Baddest” in October last year.

  The doubters were silenced, however, when Ngannou sent Fury to the canvas in the third round before losing only on a controversial split decision.

  Joshua is not intimidated, though, by the prospect of facing the former MMA champion.

  “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,” Joshua said of Ngannou.

  “I believe I can knock him out. Definitely, I would love to knock him out and make a statement.

  “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.”

  

  Just under an hour to go

  The wait is over and the bout roughly an hour away.

  The pair are due in the ring at 2am local time (11pm GMT) and it appears that proceeds are running close to on time.

  The fight should begin in just under an hour by the look of things.

  The months of preparation, training and talk comes down to one ring in Riyadh and we’ll bring you all the action so stay seated.

  Ngannou’s road to MMA glory from Cameroonian struggles

  Francis Ngannou has crammed a lot into his 37 years.

  The child of a single mother, he had to walk six miles to school and from the age of 10, he shovelled sand from open quarries, his meagre income helping to buy food and books.

  “It was work meant for adults, but we didn’t have any options,” said Ngannou of his back-breaking labours which paid less than $2 a day.

  

  “I didn’t like my life, I felt like I missed my childhood.”

  In 2012, at the age of 26 and fired by dreams of becoming a professional boxer, Ngannou, now boasting a towering physique carved from his brutal work in the sand pits, made a break for Europe and a better life.

  Crammed with others into the back of a pick-up truck, he crossed the unforgiving Sahara, travelled through Nigeria, Niger and Algeria before reaching Morocco.

  Then, after half a dozen failed attempts, he finally made it over the Mediterranean to Spain where he was promptly jailed for two months for making an illegal crossing.

  He took a train to Paris and lived in a car park before local boxing coach Didier Carmont found him a place to live and a gym in which to train.

  Despite an early fascination with Mike Tyson, Ngannou graduated towards Mixed Martial Arts and in 2021, became the UFC world heavyweight champion.

  No pain no gain

  Anthony Joshua returned to training on January 6, in preparation for this fight.

  

  That was barely two weeks after his December 24 victory against Otto Wallin.

  The undercard is under way

  WBC featherweight champion Rey Vargas and Britain’s Nick Ball have just got under way in their bout.

  We’ll keep you posted on their progress.

  Ngannou won’t let go of a Fury rematch

  Francis Ngannou’s desire to face Tyson Fury in a rematch is quite clear.

  The war of words appears as though it will only intensify until the pair meet again in the ring:

  Last up for Ngannou

  The first professional boxing bout for Francis Ngannou pitted him against Tyson Fury.

  It ended in defeat for the Cameroonian on a split decision, although he drew many plaudits for his display.

  The former UFC champion was clearly irked by the defeat, but also a key moment in which Ngannou says he was clearly elbowed by Fury.

  

   

  “I was a lion fighting a pack of hyenas – Tyson Fury, the referee for allowing an illegal elbow, and the judges for their score cards,” Ngannou posted on social media platform, X, after the fight.

  “I watched the elbow video tens of times and I don’t understand why the referee didn’t take a point from him.”

  Ngannou crosses combat codes

  Former UFC star Francis Ngannou’s switch to boxing last year had been mooted for months following speculation of a crossover fight with Tyson Fury.

  The 36-year-old Cameroonian was still UFC heavyweight champion when contract talks with the leading promotion collapsed once Ngannou said his demands for health insurance and personal sponsorships were rejected.

  UFC President Dana White stripped Ngannou of the belt in January 2023.

  In July, it was confirmed Ngannou would indeed meet with Fury with the date later fixed for October 28.

  Read more: Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou signs with PFL