Anthony Joshua, a former two-time unified heavyweight champion, took a step closer to a blockbuster undisputed fight against Tyson Fury with a superior performance to his rival, who was made to work by the Cameroonian on his debut last October.
Joshua dropped the former UFC champion twice before a crushing third knockdown pinned Ngannou to the canvas in an emphatic stoppage.
The 34-year-old confirmed he is now in line to face the winner of Fury against Oleksandr Usyk, who beat ‘AJ’ twice previously.
Anthony Joshua knocks Francis Ngannou out cold with ruthless performance in Saudi Arabia on Friday night.
Anthony Joshua has expressed his desire to fight Tyson Fury next, having knocked out Francis Ngannou in devastating fashion on Friday.
Ex-UFC champion Ngannou made his boxing debut in October, dropping Fury in a shocking moment before losing a controversial decision. The Cameroonian did not come close to replicating that performance against Joshua, however, suffering a brutal second-round loss.
Briton Joshua, 34, dropped Ngannou, 37, in round one and did the same twice in round two. The final knockdown proved decisive, with Ngannou out cold on the canvas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Joshua then seemed to make a gun gesture at his preferred next target, Fury, who was sat in the front row at the Kingdom Arena.
Speaking in the ring after the win, “AJ” said: “If that was me [losing], you’d be saying, ‘Joshua should retire.’ I don’t know if I’m in my peak. I’m pushing day by day, who knows where it will take me? In five years, I won’t be fighting no more, this will be a distant memory.
Anthony Joshua sends message to Tyson Fury after Francis Ngannou knockout
Joshua knocked out Ngannou in round two, five months after the Cameroonian dropped the ‘Gypsy King’
The heavyweight world champion watched ringside in Riyadh as ‘AJ’ dispatched the former UFC champion in two dominant rounds with a crushing performance.
Ngannou was dropped heavily twice before the emphatic finish, sparking excitement over a potential meeting between the two British rivals.
Fury is in line to face Oleksandr Usyk, who beat Joshua twice previously, in an undisputed title fight in May, but Joshua reiterated his desire to meet the winner in the immediate aftermath of his latest victory.
“There’s quite a long way to go, there’s always been a lot of shit getting in the way of it. I’ve got bigger fish to fry, 18 May, then we have a rematch in October. After that, if he’s still available and I’m available, let’s get it on.
“After I beat Usyk, the IBF will be vacant, so maybe he can fight Hrgovic.
“I’m healing well, I’m not even in camp yet, I’ll go to camp at the end of March and I’ll spar then.”
Tyson Fury: “I’m sure Usyk will have something to say about that, since he beat him twice. Me and Usyk fight for the No 1 and No 2 position in the sport.
“I had a shit performance against Ngannou, styles make fights, I almost got it right, I said one round. He did fantastic tonight.
“It’s what a boxer should have done to him. Well done. If he fights me in the future, after I’ve fought Usyk twice, next year…”
Source: The Independent
