Boxing fans are gearing up to witness a heavyweight clash for the ages! Anthony Joshua, the former unified champion, will square off against Francis Ngannou, the MMA powerhouse, on March 8th in Saudi Arabia. This highly anticipated bout will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Box Office. It is not going to be an easy task for either of the fighters to win the upcoming match-up.
Joshua is on a winning streak after bouncing back from two losses to Oleksandr Usyk. He most recently dominated Otto Wallin, forcing the Swedish contender to retire after five rounds. Ngannou will be entering only his second professional boxing fight. However, he made a stunning debut, nearly pulling off an upset against heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in a thrilling ten-round bout. So, will ‘The Predator’ be able to stun the boxing world this time? Here’s what fellow boxer Tony Bellew has to say about the fight.
Tony Bellew reveals Francis Ngannou’s greatest asset
While some might consider a Francis Ngannou victory over Anthony Joshua an upset, former cruiserweight champion, Tony Bellew disagrees. In an interview with iFL TV, Bellew was asked if Ngannou defeating Joshua would be “crazy”, and “Why would it be crazy?“ Bellew said, “He’s a man with two arms and two legs.” He even called Ngannou the “baddest man on the planet.“
Bellew praised Ngannou’s raw power and fighting spirit as he addressed the latter’s fight against Derrick Lewis. “So Francis is a Phenom he’s a freak athlete,“ Bellew stated. According to the former English boxer, “His strongest attribute is his mental capacity and his mental strength, not his boxing ability or his boxing skills.
While acknowledging Ngannou’s strengths, Bellew left his prediction for the outcome of the potential fight open-ended. In the meantime, Ngannou has some bold claims regarding the upcoming fight.
Ngannou & Anthony Joshua reveal what’s on their minds
During a face-off, Ngannou questioned Joshua’s ability to take a punch, citing his own impressive showing against Tyson Fury, where he even knocked the champion down.
The Cameroonian-French Mixed Martial Artist acknowledged Fury’s exceptional resilience, stating, “I think he’s probably one of the most resistant person out there. That’s not a disrespect to AJ. I don’t believe that AJ will take what Tyson took.”
However, Joshua remained confident, countering, “Who hasn’t knocked Tyson down? So many people have knocked Tyson down.” But Ngannou remained firm and stated that even when going into the fight, he was prepared to knock down the champion. He claimed that he knew that Fury would get back up.
With both fighters determined to prove their supremacy, this March 8th fight promises to be a thrilling display of power and skill. What do you think about the situation?
