Lennox Lewis, a former heavyweight boxing champion, recently shared his candid thoughts on the much-anticipated fight between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou.
Lewis acknowledged Ngannou's success in seizing opportunities within the heavyweight division but echoed a sentiment of dissatisfaction regarding the fight's merit. Specifically, he noted that from his viewpoint, Joshua's decision to fight Ngannou does not enhance his professional record, stating, "[In my opinion], this fight adds zero credibility to AJ’s resume."
Anthony Joshua, at 34 years old, is slated to face off against Francis Ngannou on March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This bout comes after a string of contests against opponents like Otto Wallin, Robert Helenius, and Jermaine Franklin. Despite these matches and suffering defeats twice to Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua appears to be strategically steering towards high-stakes financial showdowns.
Francis Ngannou recently made waves with a split-decision victory over ten rounds against Tyson Fury — in which he notably knocked down the formidable Fury. This win pit Ngannou against Joshua following Deontay Wilder's unexpected underperformance against Joseph Parker on December 23.
The original plan had Joshua facing Wilder, but the sudden loss led to a pivot in planning. The boxing community buzzes with speculation and anticipation as the new matchup approaches.
Interestingly, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk loom over the event as peripheral figures — Fury as Ngannou’s past adversary and Usyk as the double vanquisher of Joshua — both too preoccupied with their commitments to enter the ring for this particular encounter.
Lewis reflects widespread opinions within boxing circles where many bouts lack significant implications despite their popular appeal. His closing remark lamented the state of affairs in heavyweight boxing: "This is just the [heavyweight] division in the year 2024." It's clear that many see this battle as more spectacle than substance—a market-driven orchestration with financial motivations front and center.
