The former UFC featherweight champion has made a steady entrance into the world of boxing. Francis Ngannou stepped into the ring for the first time in October, where he had to recognize the superiority of one of the best boxers in the history of the sport. Tyson Fury defeated him by judges' decision after a hard fought fight, but the door to a new challenge has opened in front of the Cameroonian.
Next up this Friday, March 8, will be Anthony Joshua. The Brit is a former two-time heavyweight champion who many believe is second only to Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian last defeated AJ, but he still has championship ambitions.
Joshua-Ngannou, of course, is not the only fight that will take place on Friday night in Riyadh. Earlier in the undercard, the interim WBO heavyweight champion will be determined. Tough Chinese Zhilei Zhang will face former world champion Joseph Parker. Viewers love knockouts, and that's what you can expect from this fight.
Joshua-Ngannou will have another title fight as part of the Joshua-Ngannou night. Undefeated Nick Ball will fight Ray Vargas for the WBC featherweight belt.
One option to watch Joshua-Ngannou is a PPV on the DAZN platform. According to bookmakers, the Cameroonian is doomed to fail, with some even predicting a heavy knockout. However, the former UFC champion has already shown that he has a lot of power in his hands and will not hesitate to seek an early win himself.
The event is scheduled for Friday, March 8, 2024 and will be hosted by Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Joshua has rebounded from two judges' decision defeats to Oleksandr Usyk and has reeled off three straight wins. Especially notable are the last two, in which AJ scored early victories. Fans regret that his fight with Tyson Fury didn't happen, but who knows what the future holds.
The boxing night itself will start around 17:00 Kiev time. The co-main event should start around 21:00. The main fight of the evening, that is Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou, is scheduled for midnight.
The Cameroonian fighter has 11 victories in his MMA career thanks to hand strikes. The Predator also sent Tyson Fury to the floor. AJ and his team didn't have much material to analyze, which also intrigues many fans. Will Joshua underestimate his opponent? What tactics will he choose to fight the former UFC champion?
We will find out the answers to these questions on Friday night, March 8. Great emotions in the ring are guaranteed!
Joshua-Ngannou - fight card
Main fight of the evening:
Anthony Joshua (27-3) vs. Francis Ngannou (0-1)
Zhilei Zhang (26-1-1) vs. Joseph Parker (34-3).
Fight for the WBO interim world heavyweight championship belt.
Rey Vargas (36-1) vs. Nick Ball (19-0)
Fight for the belt of the world champion under the WBC version of the world lightweight (126 pounds).