- This Friday, Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou headline the heavyweight showdown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- The winner of this match will likely fight for the world heavyweight title.
- Joshua is the considerable betting favorite at -350, and Ngannou is the +275 betting underdog.
Another massive heavyweight boxing match is scheduled to go down this Friday, as former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will face former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a 10-round showdown inside the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Friday night is 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 🚨#JoshuaNgannou, live worldwide on DAZN on 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬, March 8. Buy now at https://t.co/FoiaUucI53#KnockoutChaos | #RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/Yt6A1YBW9c
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) March 5, 2024
Despite being competitive in his professional boxing debut in October against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Ngannou is still the betting underdog in boxing odds at +275, and Joshua is the favored fighter to get the win by being the considerable -350 betting favorite.
Anthony Joshua Recent Fight Results
After winning the 2012 Olympic gold medal in the Summer Olympics, Joshua finally jumped into the pro ranks and had a dream debut in October 2013 by stopping Emanuele Leo in the opening round of their fight via TKO.
Following that winning debut, Joshua collected 20 successive victories and captured the IBF, IBO, WBA, and WBO heavyweight titles. In June 2019, the British superstar suffered his first career loss after Andy Ruiz handed him a seventh-round TKO finish.
We are just days away ⏳#JoshuaNgannou, live worldwide on DAZN on 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬, March 8. Buy now at https://t.co/FoiaUucI53 #KnockoutChaos | #RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/MoBEroNXAE
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) March 5, 2024
Joshua recaptured all his belts by avenging his loss to Ruiz in December 2019 with a decision victory. Since then, he received two more losses courtesy of Oleksandr Usyk to give up his four belts again. Outside of those setbacks from Usyk, Joshua won four of his fights.
Francis Ngannou Recent Fight Results
Before Ngannou pursued a career in professional boxing, he was the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, knocking out 10 of his 12 opponents inside the Octagon. His move to pro boxing was made possible by his failed negotiations with the Las Vegas-based promotion.
Don't sleep on @francis_ngannou 😴
Tune-in now 👉 https://t.co/HbftI6ICln#JoshuaNgannou | #KnockoutChaos | #RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/WYCcL9EDBE
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) March 5, 2024
Ngannou made his boxing debut against the WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in October and surprised the combat sports community with his outstanding performance against “The Gypsy King,” scoring a knockdown in the third round. Unfortunately, it was not enough to get him the win, as Fury edged him out with a split decision result.
Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: Tale of the Tape
| Anthony Joshua | Francis Ngannou | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 34 | 37 |
| Height | 6’6” | 6’4” |
| Reach | 82 inches | 83 inches |
| Record | 27-3 | 0-1 (17-3 in MMA) |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| TKO/KO Percentage | 89% | 0% (71% in MMA) |
Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: Fight Analysis
There isn’t much of a difference in the tale of the tape between Joshua and Ngannou, as they are only separated by 2 inches in height (in favor of Joshua) and an inch in reach (in favor of Ngannou). Both have an enormous power on their hands, with a high finish rate on their records.
Joshua has benefited from seeing Ngannou compete against Fury because he’ll surely take him seriously, unlike his British compatriot, who underestimated the former UFC champion during their match.
With that in mind, Joshua will be extra careful in evading Ngannou’s powerful right-hand punch and instead be more fundamental in his approach to the fight. He must utilize his jab and footwork to frustrate Ngannou and make him miss.
Meanwhile, Ngannou needs to close the distance to increase his chance of landing a clean shot at Joshua. Furthermore, he needs to maximize his physicality and strength to suck the energy out of Joshua in the clinch while he throws a few punches when they are tangled up.
With knowledge of Ngannou’s power and cardio that could last a full 10-round boxing match, Joshua has picked up several valuable lessons from his previous bout with Fury. He’ll surely prepare a more comprehensive strategy to beat Ngannou more decisively.
Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: Start Time
March 8, 2024, 2:00 p.m. PT
March 8, 2024, 4:00 p.m. CT
March 8, 2024, 5:00 p.m. ET
Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: Official Prediction
Official Prediction: Unanimous decision victory for Anthony Joshua.
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