Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou returned to the boxing ring tonight for his second skilled bout opposing former WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
Ngannou, following the primary protection of his UFC heavyweight title in January of 2022, determined to vacate his belt in try and safe some large boxing fights outdoors the promotion, the place he made his skilled debut this previous October in opposition to WBC and Ring Journal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
After practically pulling off the upset, clearly profitable extra rounds than Fury and in addition securing a knockdown in spherical three, two of the three judges scored the struggle for Fury, leading to a break up resolution loss for Ngannou.
Tonight he acquired an opportunity to rebound with a win over one of many sports activities most adorned heavyweights in Anthony Joshua, who’d received three-straight fights since shedding his belts to Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua opened up the bout with jabs to the physique and head, Ngannou counting on his left hook incessantly all through the opening spherical. Ngannou partially landed an overhand proper, however was quickly after caught with a vicious proper hand that floored him about two minutes in.
Ngannou returned to his toes on the depend of eight and survived the rest of spherical one, the place he was once more dropped within the second, this time by a left hook on the finish of Joshua’s mixture. He was somewhat faster to his toes this time, however was badly KO’d with a thunderous proper cross instantly after the referee restarted the struggle.
Anthony Joshua simply made Tyson Fury seem like a BUM.
AJ dropped Francis in spherical 1 then SLEPT HIM in spherical 2.
In the meantime Tyson Fury GOT dropped by him and a few even suppose Ngannou beat him
AJ vs Fury is without doubt one of the BIGGEST fights in boxing#JoshuaNgannoupic.twitter.com/Of5wirjdD0
— Jay 🎋💰🇯🇲 (@TheRealestJayT) March 9, 2024
Official Consequence: Anthony Joshua def. Francis Ngannou through KO at 2:38 of spherical two
Francis Ngannou sort of shocked the world together with his efficiency final October, out-boxing the person many imagine to be the best heavyweight on the planet. This struggle was a lot, a lot totally different. Anthony Joshua confirmed a far larger stage of boxing talent tonight and it was clear from the beginning.
There was at all times that probability Ngannou might land that one shot, however Joshua didn’t permit it to occur and Ngannou falls to 0-2 as an expert boxer in Saudi Arabia.
On the brighter facet, he’s anticipated to face PFL heavyweight champion later this yr in an MMA return.
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