Anthony Joshua delivered a brutal performance that left boxing fans stunned. Aj delivers a statement win and sent a message to the heavyweight division with a destructive second-round win over Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia.
This was Anthony Joshua at his dangerous best, with the spiteful fists and the untarnished confidence of a man who yet believes he can return to the pinnacle of his discipline.
Francis Ngannou felt the level of boxing tonight in Riyadh. This was not an exhibition match like the one he fought with Tyson Fury, this was a proper heavyweight fight that carried the punched.
Joshua had cut a laser-focused figure all week amid all the pageantry and promises. And tonight he showed the gulf in class between professional boxing and MMA, the difference in punching power is staggering as AJ delivers a statement win in Riyadh.
AJ delivers a statement win in Riyadh
The former unified world champion paraded his superior boxing speed during the opening exchanges when he left Ngannou on his backside with a bruising right hand to set the tone, asserting his authority behind feints to which the MMA-convert could find no read.
Second-round win
Joshua then punished Ngannou’s southpaw stance in the second with a crashing right fist to put his opponent down again, before crowning the job seconds later with another shuddering right to leave his man out cold and in need of treatment on the canvas.
Joshua, 34, floored the UFC champion in the first round and early in the second.
A dazed Ngannou rose to his feet, stunned by AJ’s superior boxing speed and then felt the explosive and thunderous right moments later as the referee halted the contest. That was the right decision.
The 37-year-old appeared to be out before he even hit the canvas and required medical treatment.
The prospective prize had featured prominently throughout the build-up in Saudi Arabia, with victory now expected to pave the way to a shot at the winner of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk’s clash for the undisputed heavyweight championship.
What next for AJ?
While it was not the star studded affair seen in past events in the Saudi Arabia, former champions Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao rubbed shoulders with the likes of football manager Jose Mourinho and Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldo.
It did have a lot of hype, especially given Ngannou’s previous bout with Tyson Fury, however, in reality this was an exhibition match, and a real test is needed to really evaluate where AJ is.
That being said, the pressure was on Joshua to deliver a message to rival Fury. A fighter who has faced an intense level of scrutiny in recent years, Joshua acknowledged the impact of trainer Ben Davison.
And Joshua wasted no time in making a beeline for the winner of Fury and Usyk, who will meet on May 18. Even though, this had a Rocky 3 feel to the boxing match, AJ had to remain focussed and had to do a job. Had he faltered in anyway or not dispatched with Ngannou quickly and convincingly, the scrutiny on his career would have been catapulted to another level.
Realistically, one more fight is needed for AJ, before the Tyson Fury showdown, probably in late 2024? who knows, but one thing is for certain, that is the fight everyone wants to see.