Joe Joyce hints at a knockout in the Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou fight
British heavyweight Joe Joyce has made his prediction for Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou on March 8.
Ngannou is one of the breakout stars of the sport despite having had just one fight, and losing it. That was against the WBC and lineal heavyweight champion of the world, Tyson Fury, back in October.
It was a superb debut performance that involved the French-Cameroonian former UFC star knocking Fury down in the third and pushing him all the way before ultimately falling to a valiant points loss over 10 rounds.
The prize for his efforts, however, is a fight with former two-time world champion Joshua in just one month’s time. It is a fight that Joshua has been told he must not take too lightly, with the winner widely expected to get a shot at the victor of the undisputed title fight between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk on the new date of May 18.
Joe Joyce is also on the comeback trail after two back to back losses to Zhilei Zhang last year which saw him stopped for the first and second times only in his career.
His next opponent is former IBF European titlist Kash Ali and ahead of that March 16 bout he has spoken to Queensbury about the Joshua-Ngannou contest and was asked if he would like the winner.
“Yeah, why not. I’m in this game for the big fights. This is a big entertaining fight.”
He then assessed what might happen.
“I see it as a really good match-up. They have both have good power in both hands, I think it will be a good fight. Ngannou showed the world that he had a very close fight with Fury so styles make fights and they are both heavy hitters, so who is going first?”
Joyce will hope to come through his return fight in order to get back in contention for the winner of big nights like these.