Boxing superstar Anthony Joshua enters the ring as the heavy favorite in his next fight against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou. But “AJ” doesn’t take the Cameroonian lightly, as he assures us. And a potential mega-fight isn’t even on his mind.
On March 8th in Riyadh, Joshua will meet Ngannou, who has only fought one professional boxing match so far, but impressed in his narrow defeat against WBC world champion Tyson Fury in the fall.
According to his own statement, ex-world champion Joshua is preparing accordingly conscientiously for the fight against the MMA specialist, which is being promoted as “Knockout Chaos”. Joshua said on “The MMA Hour” that he wasn’t thinking at all about a possible duel against Fury or Oleksandr Usyk. The undefeated world champions will fight for all recognized heavyweight titles on February 17th.
“I have it in my head that Ngannou is my fight for the Unidsputed title. That’s the mentality I have to have,” emphasized the Brit. “Ngannou is my Undisputed fight because you’re only as good as your last fight and I respect him a lot. He’s not easy money. He’s a tough job. Just like me. So, let’s get started, this will be a firework.”
Boxing: Joshua still thinking about Wilder fight
The Saudi boxing mastermind Turki Al-Sheikh announced at the first press conference before Joshua vs. Ngannou that the winner of the duel would challenge the undisputed world champion – Fury or Usyk – later this year.
Joshua was supposed to fight his long-time rival Deontay Wilder in March. The American clearly lost his duel with New Zealander Joseph Parker on points in Riyadh on December 23rd, while Joshua dismantled Otto Wallin in five rounds on the same evening.
“I thought I might still fight Wilder because the contracts were already signed and it’s still a big fight,” Joshua said. “It would still be incredible, a fight between the UK and USA, good from a promoter point of view.”
When his team suggested Fury-Schreck Ngannou as an opponent, he immediately agreed to this “good chance,” said the Englishman.