Francis Ngannou observed that Anthony Joshua appeared a bit uneasy leading up to their heavyweight clash in Saudi Arabia on Friday.
Despite Joshua being widely favored to win in Riyadh, Ngannou, the 37-year-old former UFC standout gearing up for only his second professional boxing bout, notably went toe-to-toe with Tyson Fury for the full 10 rounds last year. In that encounter, Ngannou even managed to floor the WBC champion, though the outcome was controversially decided on points.
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This impressive feat by Ngannou adds a layer of complexity for Joshua, 34, who is eyeing potential matchups against the likes of Filip Hrgovic for a world title bout or the winner of the upcoming showdown between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
Reflecting on their recent promotional activities, Ngannou shared, “We were doing the promo and he was very chilled, very relaxed. I asked him if he was OK because he looked a little nervous or something. I asked him if he was OK because I was OK. I had no problems. I was just talking around, laughing. I think we are both professional enough to know what we have to do to get to where we want to go.”
During his own training session, Joshua chose not to engage in pad work, instead opting for shadow boxing alongside local young boxers invited to attend the event.
“It’s a great chance for me to let other people use the platform that I’ve created to express themselves and their talent,” Joshua remarked. “I know how much the people of Saudi are embracing boxing and health in general. I gave them a chance to get on TV and hopefully their parents will see and it will boost their morale. I’m here to fight, I wasn’t acknowledging [the fans] with all due respect, I’m here to fight. This is my life. Talk is cheap.”
Ngannou’s coach ominously warns: “Bad things await Anthony Joshua”
Dewey Cooper, the trainer of Francis Ngannou, has issued a stern warning to Anthony Joshua ahead of their highly anticipated heavyweight boxing showdown in Saudi Arabia on Friday night.
Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, came close to causing a major upset in his professional boxing debut against Tyson Fury, knocking down ‘The Gypsy King’ in the third round before ultimately losing by split decision.
Now, Ngannou is set to face Joshua, who is riding high on three consecutive victories as he aims to reclaim the title. However, Cooper is confident that Ngannou will thwart Joshua’s ambitions and defy the odds once again.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Cooper expressed his confidence: “Can he do better? Absolutely. That’s the aim and that’s the strategy. In the Tyson Fury fight, we predicted he would at least knock him down once and could win. We mean what we say; this is not just talk.”
“I understand Joshua is your guy and you’re supposed to back him, but understand the challenge he’s facing. He’s up against a man who has consistently defied expectations throughout his life,” Cooper added.
Known for his devastating power in the UFC, Ngannou has earned knockout victories in 10 of his 12 wins in the promotion. According to Cooper, Ngannou’s power is not his only weapon.
“He possesses immense power, naturally, in both fists. If he lands cleanly, Joshua is in trouble,” Cooper emphasized. “His precision is impeccable, and his mindset is sharp. It’s going to be an extraordinary fight.”
“We will learn more from his first outing than anyone could expect. He’ll be a vastly improved fighter compared to his first bout against Tyson Fury,” Cooper continued. “He has multiple paths to victory. ‘Impossible’ when it comes to Francis Ngannou simply means ‘not yet achieved’. Joshua fans should beware and be concerned.”
The Ngannou team is already eyeing the winner of the unification bout between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 if Ngannou emerges victorious on Friday.
“If he wins, the goal is to become the unified world boxing champion – and that would be an incredible achievement,” Cooper concluded. “From ex-UFC world champion to unified boxing world champion in just three fights… it’s intimidating!”
