He is considered one of the strongest fighters in the MMA world. It might be more accurate to say that it would be accepted. He faced former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. In the match that was followed with excitement, Joshua narrowly challenged Ngannou in the ring.
In the second round, Ngannou was knocked out by Joshua's performance.
In the match that took place in Riyadh and shocked the sports world, Anthony Joshua made MMA star Francis Ngannou beat the dust in the ring. This fight, which was a clash of two worlds, resulted in Joshua's dazzling performance.
Who is Francis Ngannou?
Francis Ngannou tried to escape from his country, Cameroon, 12 times and was caught and thrown to his death in the Sahara Desert 12 times. He was able to leave the desert and return to his country alive 12 times. He tried for the 13th time, and in this attempt, he was able to come to France illegally and was immediately caught and imprisoned there. When he got out of prison, the only way to live for him was to beg for money and food on the street...
One day he noticed a boxing gym and begged them to let him train for free. They even gave him a place to sleep under a ring in exchange for doing the daily cleaning of the hall. Then he started training in mixed martial arts.
Ngannou last fought in mixed martial arts in January 2022, defending his UFC heavyweight title by defeating Ciryl Gane by referee decision.
Ngannou left the UFC in early 2023 and signed with the Professional Fighters League later in the year, vacating the organization's heavyweight belt in the process. Ngannou is expected to continue his mixed martial arts career with this company before the end of 2024.
It was the second match of Ngannou, who boxed in Riyadh with two-time heavyweight champion Joshua, in this sport. The 37-year-old Cameroonian boxer played his first match in October 2023 and lost to WBC champion Tyson Fury with a controversial decision. The match in Riyadh was his second defeat.
Francis Zavier Ngannou (born 5 September 1986) is a Cameroonian and French professional mixed martial artist and professional boxer who is currently signed to the Professional Fighters League (PFL). He also competed in the Heavyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was the reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion at the time of his departure from the promotion. Known for his punching power, Ngannou was widely viewed as the most destructive pure puncher in the UFC's heavyweight division; He ended seven of his fourteen UFC fights by knockout before the two-minute mark in the first round.
March 8, 2024
THE FIRST ROUND WAS TOUGH
In the second minute of the first round, Joshua's right direct punch brought Ngannou to the canvas. Although Ngannou, who was left on the ground in the face of this tremendous punch, tried to gain time to recover, Joshua's ambition flared up even more in the morning.
With just fifty seconds left in the second round, Ngannou was knocked down again with a right jab followed by a devastating left hook. While Ngannou was trying to recover, Joshua delivered the final blow with a brutal right overhand and knocked out Ngannou.
HE PROVED HIS SUPERIORITY IN THE RING
This match went down in history as a fight in which Joshua once again proved his superiority in the ring as a former two-time world champion, and MMA heavyweight champion Ngannou was literally brought to his knees in his second fight in the boxing ring. Ngannou's brave performance against Tyson Fury was not enough against Joshua this time.
After the bout, Joshua's career became a matter of debate as always, and with this victory, the star boxer's world championship goals were reignited. After his two previous defeats against Usyk, Joshua's amazing comeback left even Fury, who was in the ringside, lost in thought.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OPPORTUNITY
The politics and forced opponent situations common in the boxing world could present a new world title opportunity for Joshua. Joshua, who is likely to face IBF mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic, can thus take firm steps towards becoming the new owner of the caseant IBF belt.
Anthony Joshua's crushing victory over Francis Ngannou opens new doors for both his own career and the boxing world. This magnificent fight reinforced Joshua's dominance in the ring and left unforgettable moments for sports fans. Joshua now has his sights set on bigger goals.