Joshua vs Ngannou should be a heavyweight classic

Sam Hayes.jfif
By:
Sam Hayes
08/03/2024
News
Can Francis Ngannou complete his transition from the UFC to heavyweight boxing.

Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou promises to be an incredible battle, with the two behemoths of the sport locking horns in Saudi Arabia

News Insights

  • Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou meet in Saudi Arabia.
  • Joshua is a two-time World Heavyweight champion.
  • This is only Ngannou’s second boxing fight, after transferring from the UFC.
  • A meeting with Tyson Fury has been potentially billed for the winner.

The modern age of boxing has been littered with social media stars all proclaiming that they are capable of beating some of the most notorious fighters in the world. However, UFC star Francis Ngannou looks to be one of the first fighters to successfully switch codes and the Cameroonian will be eager to make his presence felt here with punters and international betting sites, as he takes on Anthony Joshua.

Forcing onto the top table of world heavyweight boxing was something that was previously thought to be unachievable for those outside the inner sanctum but Francis Ngannou has managed it.

The former UFC heavyweight champion has been vocal in his desire to be considered as a boxer and he now has a shot at one of the biggest names in the sport.

Anthony Joshua’s career has been at a bit of a crossroads for a few seasons, but the Brit remains one of the best fighters in the division and winning bouts is all he is looking to do currently.

The prospect of Joshua and Ngannou laying blows on each other is fascinating for any fight fan and whilst Joshua may have more to lose, he also has plenty to gain against a dangerous opponent in Ngannou.

Ultimate Fighter

It has been a meteoric rise to the top of both the UFC and boxing for Francis Ngannou, who is a formidable fighter in any format he opts for.

Ngannou began in the UFC just over a decade ago, progressing to become the unified UFC Heavyweight Champion in less than 10 years.

However, his stock continued to rise, and boxing came calling, with his exhibition fight against Tyson Fury expected to be nothing more than a show.

Much to the surprise of all boxing punters and betting sites, Ngannou floored Fury, losing a tight decision on points and he is now being classified as one of the best heavyweight fighters on the planet. 

AJ back in the big time

Anthony Joshua remains an athlete and a fighter that transcends the sport of boxing but he has endured a couple of rough seasons.

Shock defeats plus not being able to secure that infamous all-British fight with Tyson Fury has seen Joshua’s reputation take a bit of a hit – something he will need to address moving forwards.

Fighting a genuine superstar in Francis Ngannou will help Joshua’s profile and should he manage to come out on top, his name will be firmly in the mix for heavyweight title fights once again with many boxing online betting platforms.

Can Ngannou do it?

One punch is famously all it takes in the world of boxing and both Francis Ngannou and Anthony Joshua are extremely good at landing them.

Anthony Joshua is the heavy favourite for this one, purely down to his ring craft and experience at this level but Francis Ngannou is a true firecracker.

Whichever way it goes, this promises to be an epic battle, between two absolute specimens and the boxing world will be tuning in to see who comes out on top in Saudi Arabia.

It was the fight nobody knew they needed but Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou in Jeddah promises to be a potential contender for the fight of the year.

Both men possess serious punching power and like putting on a show and with nothing other than pride and money on the line, this could be an absolute epic.