Francis Ngannou lifts lid on what happened moments before he fought Anthony Joshua
Francis Ngannou recalls feeling unusual prior to stepping into the ring with Anthony Joshua, moments before he was brutally knocked out in the second round.
It was a crushing right hand that stopped the former UFC heavyweight champion in his tracks last Friday, March 8, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the card – Knockout Chaos – living up to its billing.
However, before he was sent crashing down to the canvas, it was in the dressing room where Ngannou was perhaps already defeated.
On his Instagram live, he said: “I remember being in the locker [room] trying to warm-up and, bro, it wasn’t going. I was feeling asleep. I was like: I’m sweating, but I’m feeling asleep.
“It was my first time to feel that. [My team] did a great job. I didn’t feel completely present; I was the only one that didn’t show up, because everybody [else] showed up and did what they should be doing.
“I am happy about that, no blame to anybody – all the blame here is just about me, it’s just the game.
“I always knew it [the knockout] could happen, so at least I was prepared for that.”
During the build-up, Ngannou was given a sizable chance to pull off the upset, after his unexpectedly impressive performance against Tyson Fury back in October last year still fresh in peoples’ memories.
But, while he was able to drop the WBC and lineal heavyweight champion in their contest, it turned out that luck was not on Ngannou’s side against Joshua, who restored order in boxing by comprehensively defeating the novice in destructive fashion.
The 37-year-old Cameroonian now has the option to return to MMA and take on Brazilian giant Renan Ferreira in a PFL title fight.
Meanwhile, Joshua is licking his lips at the thought of facing the winner of Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk, who collide on May 18.