Anthony Joshua scored one of the most forceful knockouts you'll ever see on Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, his devastating right straight sending Francis Ngannou to the mat for a second-round victory. The former heavyweight champion overwhelmed his MMA fighter-turned-boxer opponent from start to finish of the brief bout, Ngannou down twice before his epic final blow.
Every knockdown Anthony Joshua landed against Francis Ngannou
— 🌴ᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛᴏꜰᴡᴀʀ🌴 (@TheArtOfWar6) March 9, 2024
Ngannou, thankfully, quickly regained his senses after the match was called, receiving oxygen from ringside officials. He's now 0-2 in the ring after falling to Tyson Fury in a controversial split decision last October.
Joshua acknowledged that bout in his post-knockout remarks, noting how impressed he was with Ngannou fighting prowess while showering his 37-year-old counterpart with praise.
“On the route to the championship you should always stay focused,” he said, per ESPN's Mike Coppinger. “This was me stepping aside from that mission…But when I saw [Ngannou] and the fight against Tyson Fury, I was like ‘damn, this guy can fight' so I said I need a piece of that.
“He's an inspiration…He's a great champion. This doesn't take away anything of his capabilities because in boxing it's one or the other. He can come again.”
Joshua's love for Ngannou continued later on social media.
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Ngannou, who Anthony Joshua believes should continue to pursue his professional boxing career, also ventured to social media post-fight, apologizing to fans for his “bad day at the office.”
“Sorry guys I let you all down 😔 Today was a bad day in the office but tomorrow will be another day. Thank you all for the love ❤️,” he wrote.
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