UFC fighter turned boxer Francis Ngannou says Anthony Joshua will not get back up from the canvas if he knocks him down as he did to Tyson Fury.
The Joshua-Ngannou heavyweight clash will be broadcast live on Friday March 8, in what will only be Ngannou’s second professional boxing bout, but he almost secured one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight history in his first.
Last October Ngannou, having made his name in mixed martial arts, made his pro boxing debut against WBC heavyweight champion Fury in a 10-round non-title bout, with Ngannou shocking the world when he dropped Fury in the third round. Ngannou went on to lose in a split decision.
“Yeah, I have a doubt about that,” Ngannou said when asked if Joshua could take what he dished out to Fury. “Tyson showed that he’s very resilient. I saw him come back from knockdowns like you wouldn’t believe.
“So I think he’s probably one of the most resistant person out there, and that’s not disrespect to AJ.
“I don’t believe that AJ would take what Tyson did.”
Joshua, the former unified WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight champion, will fight Ngannou at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
Joshua is on a three-bout winning streak after rebuilding from a second consecutive loss to Oleksandr Usyk in 2022.
Responding to Ngannou’s comment regarding his chin, Joshua said: “Who hasn’t knocked Tyson down? So many people have knocked Tyson down.
Francis Ngannou Begins Mind Games Ahead of Fight Against Anthony Joshua
