BOXING
That’s a relief to see. Francis Ngannou has regained consciousness and received oxygen on his stool. He’s now stood in the middle of the ring with Anthony Joshua ahead of the official result.
It was a ‘no nonsense’ Anthony Joshua that got into the ring to face Cameroon’s Francis Nganou. Despite all the hypes for Ngannou, he could not last and barely withstood a supercharged Joshua who dispatched him within two rounds of a schedule 10-round fight!
Joshua beat Ngannou by knockout.
Joshua has done something that WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury was unable to achieve.
That’s four wins in a row now for Joshua as he looks to get back to the top of the heavyweight division.
The rapid fall of Ngannou leaves boxing followers to ask: “Could this be the last time we see Ngannou in a boxing ring?”
He’s lost both of his fights but, in fairness, those defeats have come against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and two-time champion Joshua.
Is it a return to mixed martial arts for Ngannou?
A quick start from Anthony Joshua who immediately looked to land his jab. Francis Ngannou had his hands fairly low, practically daring Joshua to come forward.
Ngannou is the first to step in and he looks keen to unload with his left. He catches Joshua on the top of the head with a grazing left but the Brit is unbothered.
And there we go! Ngannou has his left hand perilously low and Joshua rocks him with a solid right! Ngannou goes down and it’s a heavy fall. He finally climbs back to his feet, narrowly beating the count.
BOXING
Francis Ngannou is heavier than Anthony Joshua in tonight’s big clash
Francis Ngannou tipped the scales at almost a stone and a half heavier than Briton Anthony Joshua at a lively weigh-in for Friday’s heavyweight bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The ex-UFC champion, competing in just his second pro boxing bout, weighed in at 19st 6lb.
Two-time world champion Joshua weighed 18st as the pair rounded off what has been a civil fight week build-up.
“Official prediction? I deliver, I’m the postman,” Joshua said.
The 34-year-old dismantled Otto Wallin in Riyadh three months ago and is looking for a fourth win in the space of 11 months.
Nganou, 37, comes in two pounds heavier than when he almost shocked the world in his boxing debut as he took WBC champion Tyson Fury to the wire in October.
“This is just my second boxing match, even though I am taking on the two best guys in the world in boxing,” Ngannou said.
“I am going in there to prove that you can be the underdog and make it and stand my ground.”
Briton Nick Ball is all set for his shot at WBC featherweight world champion Rey Vargas on the undercard.
The 27-year-old unbeaten Liverpudlian weighed in at exactly the 9st limit with Mexican Vargas a pound lighter at 8st 13lb.