Eddie Hearn gives very specific prediction for Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou
Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, long-time promoter of Anthony Joshua (27-3, 24KOs) has a strong opinion of how his fighter will fare against Francis Ngannou (0-1) on March 8th in Saudi Arabia.
Two-time world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, is preparing to step into the ring with UFC legend, Francis Ngannou, in Riyadh in just six weeks time.
Coming off the back of a phenomenal performance against Otto Wallin in December, ‘AJ’ looks rejuvenated and is building towards putting himself into title contention once more.
Before he has any chance of landing himself a shot at the belts, the 34-year-old must first get past the former UFC heavyweight champion who managed to put Tyson Fury on the floor early on in their 10-round clash last October.
37-year-old Ngannou put on an eye-opening performance when taking on ‘The Gypsy King’ in a fight many thought would be over before their kettle finished boiling.
The Cameroonian knocked the WBC titleholder down with a thunderous combination in the third round. Despite not getting the decision on the scorecards – although one judge gave it to him by a point – his maiden boxing appearance showed the world that he is not to be taken lightly.
Stepping back into the ring for a second time, Ngannou will be looking to prove that his first time in a squared circle that night in Riyadh was more than just a fluke, and that he is a real threat to the heavyweight division.
With the African no longer being an unknown quantity that can be dismissed lightly, Joshua will surely learn from Fury’s mistakes by preparing properly and entering the fight with a clear plan to get past the hard-hitting MMA convert.
Eddie Hearn firmly believes that ‘AJ’ has what it takes to bulldoze through his hard-hitting foe, stating in an interview with Matchroom that the fight will be over long before the final bell rings.
“I do [believe that Anthony Joshua knocks out Francis Ngannou]. I believe that he is going to wear him down and chop him down, and by the end of the eighth round this fight will be over and Anthony Joshua will be ready to fight for the undisputed world championship.”
The fight is far from the only exciting bout on the card in Riyadh. Chinese giant Zhilei Zhang and former world champ Joseph Parker are scheduled to trade blows in a tantalising matchup, with champion Rey Vargas and Liverpool’s Nick Ball also set to share the ring for the WBC featherweight strap.