Anthony Joshua to CLash with Former UFC Champion Francis Ngannou
As Saudi Arabia’s boxing a transformation continues, a boxing bout between Anthony Joshua and former UFC champion Francis Ngannou has been made official.
Ariel Helwani, a combat-sports writer, broke the news on Friday (5 January), citing Turki Al-Sheikh, the Saudi advisor in charge of boxing in the area.
Queensberry Promotions, which works closely with Al-Sheikh, then confirmed the story and said that a press conference will be held shortly.
In December, Joshua competed in Riyadh, stopping Otto Wallin in the main event of a seismic bout bill, only two months after Ngannou made the switch to professional boxing in the same city against Tyson Fury.
Ngannou, 37, lost a raised decision to Fury after knocking down the WBC heavyweight champion, and he will now face another Briton in Joshua.
Fight Date to be Unveiled Next Week
The battle is expected to take place in Riyadh, and the date is scheduled to be revealed next week. According to Helwani, the fight will go ten rounds.
Joshua, 34, defeated Wallin via fifth-round TKO after the Swede’s camp removed him from the fight, giving “AJ” his third victory in as many fights in 2023. Joshua’s three victories were an emotional response to his back-to-back defeats by Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua’s second reign as unified heavyweight champion came to an end in 2021, when Usyk defeated him via decision in London. Usyk also defeated Joshua in 2022 in Saudi Arabia to maintain the titles.
Joshua Eyes Potential Clash with Hrgovic for IBF Title”
Usyk has subsequently agreed to face Fury, who is also unbeaten, in Riyadh in February, with the winner becoming the first dominant heavyweight champion in 24 years.
Unlike in his fight with Ngannou, Fury’s WBC championship, as well as Usyk’s WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO crowns, will be on the line.
After defeating Wallin, Joshua was anticipated to face Deontay Wilder, but the American lost a unanimous decision to Joseph Parker on the same day, therefore ending the possibility of a mega-fight between AJ and Wilder.
It was then reported that AJ will seek a fight with Filip Hrgovic, most likely for the IBF heavyweight championship, if the winner of Fury versus Usyk gives up the crown.
Who is Anthony Joshua?
Olaseni, Anthony Oluwafemi Joshua OBE (born 15 October 1989) is a British professional boxer.
Between 2016 and 2021, he held the World Boxing Association (WBA) (Super version), International Boxing Federation (IBF), and World Boxing Organization (WBO) belts thrice.
During that time, He held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles from 2015 to 2016.
Family History
His mother is Nigerian, while his father is Nigerian and Irish. Joshua’s Nigerian background may be linked back to the Yoruba people, among whom he has valuable position.
In 2013, they made their professional debuts together. Ben Ileyemi and his cousin.
Joshua spent some of his childhood in Nigeria as a boarding student at Mayflower School in Ikenne. When he was 12, his parents divorced, and he travelled to the UK halfway through Year Seven to attend Kings Langley Secondary School.
Top 3 greatest win of Anthony Joshua
1. The battle between Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte placed two passionate rivals against each other.
On December 12th, 2015, both men entered the O2 Arena in London unbeaten, and the run-up to the fight was laced with hatred.
Yet, He went on and defeated American champion Charles Martin to win the IBF Heavyweight Title.
2. Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz II
The two guys fought again on December 7th in Saudi Arabia. The rematch was filled with doubt. Was Joshua’s chin weak? Was he heartless? Ruiz simply had his phone number?
Joshua’s careful and cool approaches eventually earned him a unanimous decision. While it wasn’t the most exciting bout, Joshua’s technical talents were on display, and he made his value as compared to his heavyweight peers.
3. Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko
Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko was a titanic battle. The battle between these two goliaths was out of a tale. It was a more epic and dramatic fight than Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed.
On April 29th, 2017, Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko surprised the world with their amazing skills and strong hearts.
Francis Zavier Ngannou
Francis Zavier Ngannou (born September 5, 1986) is a Cameroonian and French professional MMA fighter and boxer presently signed to the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
He took part in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the Heavyweight category, where he was the reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion at the time of his departure.
Ngannou, known for his punching strength, was largely regarded as the most lethal pure puncher in the UFC’s heavyweight class. He broke the world record for the hardest punch ever thrown in 2017.
Achivements of Francis Zavier Ngannou
Ngannou has had multiple accomplishments in the UFC, including becoming the first Cameroonian fighter to win a UFC championship title when he won the heavyweight title in 2021.
Aside from that, he has Fight of the Night awards for his fights against Derrick Lewis in 2018 and Jairzinho Rozenstruik in 2020, as well as many Performance of the Night awards. This places him among some of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.
Francis Ngannou is an inspirational to many people because of his accomplishments in the UFC and his dedication to using sport as a force for good.
His career indicates how far commitment and hard work can carry you. It also serves as a reminder of the possibilities for those who are willing to dream large.
There is no telling what heights this great boxer could achieve in the future with the supporting of people all across the world.
