- Anthony Joshua made quick work of Francis Ngannou, knocking him out in a devastating fashion in the second round
- The final blow, a powerful right hand, completely destroyed Ngannou and he remained down in the canvas for over a minute receiving oxygen
The highly anticipated Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou fight took place on Friday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Joshua, a former unified heavyweight champion, made quick work of the MMA legend, knocking him out in a devastating fashion in the second round. The Briton proved to be too tough for Ngannou from the start of the fight knocking him down in the first round and in the second round before delivering the punch that finished it all at 2:38 of the second round.
The final blow, a powerful right hand, completely destroyed Ngannou and he remained down in the canvas for over a minute receiving oxygen.
Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou. Photo/ BBC.
Ngannou was impressive against WBC champion Tyson Fury back in October, even managing to drop him in the third round. Despite the judges handing victory to Fury, many believed that Ngannou had a bright future in boxing. However, the Cameroonian’s boxing career seem to be over as he failed to show his prowess in the ring against Joshua.
“Well, he was quite special because he stopped me. He did what Tyson Fury couldn’t. It wasn’t my day and he was just way better than me today.” Francis Ngannou told a reporter who had asked him how special Joshua was after the fight.
The Anthony Joshua Vs Francis Ngannou Fight
The Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou was not star studded affair but there were several names in the sporting world that were there to support the two fighters. Former boxers Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan were among those who attended the event alongside Brazilian legendary footballer Ronaldo and football manager Jose Mourinho.
Joshua was a favourite entering the fight but Ngannou was not to be underrated considering his performance against Tyson Fury in what was his first pro boxing match. The Briton strutted to the ring with confidence and kneeled down reciting a prayer in his corner.
Ngannou had a grand entry as he made a solitary walk down the aisle with God’s Plan by Drake playing in the background. He seemed ready to face the Watford-born fighter.
Joshua has fought against prominent names in the boxing world, from Oleksandr Usyk to Andy Ruiz Jr. to Wladimir Klitschko, and he proved experience matters in the ring by dominating Ngannou from thee start of the bout to when he knocked him out in the second round.
Ngannou’s attempts were clumsy and Joshua had an easy time avoiding them before landing a powerful right that sent the Cameroonian tumbling to the canvas.
By the end of the first round everyone could see that Ngannou wasn’t a match for Joshua. And the Briton picked from where he left after the restart, knocking down Ngannou. The Cameroonian beat the count in the nick of time but it was clear that the destructive punch was just around the corner. Within no time, he was down again after a destructive punch that saw him fold backward over his right leg like a patio furniture.
Anthony Joshua delivered a statement win by knocking out Francis Ngannou in the second round of their highly anticipated fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo/ AOL.com.
The referee wasted no time as soon as Ngannou went down as he signalled the end of the fight. Anthony Joshua needed just two rounds to do what Tyson Fury couldn’t.
“When I saw the fight with him and Fury, I was like, ‘Damn, this guy can fight.’ So I said, ‘I need a piece of that. He’s a great champion. And this doesn’t take away anything from his capabilities. …He can come back.” Anthony Joshua said after defeating Francis Ngannou, as per USA Today.
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