Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou full reports from fight night
Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou full round-by-round fight reports, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, tonight, March 8.The first fight kicks off at 4pm UK time, live on DAZN, with ringwalks for the bill-topper scheduled for 10:50pm, and BBN have got you covered for every single highlight from tonight’s bumper boxing bill.
First Fight – 4pm
Ziyad Almaayouf vs Christian Lopes Flores
6×3 Super-Lightweight Contest
In the opening bout, hometown boxer Ziyad Almaayouf dictated the pace of the fight behind his jab against Christian Lopes Flores, unever getting too greedy.
Ziyad Almaayouf won 60-54 on points.
Roman Fury vs Martin Svarc
4×3 Heavyweight Contest
Roman Fury walked to the ring before 5pm, flanked by brothers Tyson and tommy and father John.
The 27-year-old Brit used his awkward southpaw stance and twitchy style – similar to Tyson – to edge his feet into range, able to land a big backhand body blow, later followed by a nice backhand left to the head that sent unbeaten 2-0 Svarc into the ropes.
By the second stanza, Roman had found a home for that big backhand left. Svarc only able to back away and swipe in defence to try and keep the Fury away. It got a little scrappy whenever the Czech lunged in.
Still scrappy in the third, lots of clinching. In the fourth, they stand at range as Roman tries to find that one big punch. Svarc is bleeding from the nose open mouthed, but giving as good as he gets.
Roman Fury moves up to 4-0 with a 39-37 points decision in a good, stern learning fight for him.
Jack McGann vs Louis Greene
10×3 WBC Silver Super-Welterweight title eliminator
Kent’s Louis Greene gets straight on the front foot setting a high pace with plenty of pressure and punches. Underdog Greene got his tactics spot on, sitting on McGann’s chest, landing big body blows in close then caught unbeaten McGann with an hellacious right hook that dropped the favourite heavily.
He rose to his feet but he was turned halfway around and struggled to find his feet to even face referee Kieran McCann, who rightfully waived the fight off at just midway through the opener.
10×3 WBO Global & WBC Special Event Heavyweight Contest
Justis Huni vs Kevin Lerena
Very even first round as Lerena came on strong, Huni having a bit of a move around in the latter stages of the first, suggesting he was after a bit of respite after a fairly busy start.
Lerena straight forward on his jab in the second, then a straight left from the South African southpaw caught the Aussie’s attention, all in the first minute. Then a right hook landed on Huni’s temple and Lerena moved in for the kill. Lerena relents to save his breath, then Huni answers with a one-two as he held his feet. Huni ends the round better than he started, landing a strong straight right and then an uppercut in close.
The third is fought a little more tentative as the pair have earned each other’s respect, not many punches thrown, standing off each other. Huni sneaks a right hand through the guard but was too long to do any damage. Lerena threw big shots to end but didn’t connect.
Huni rolls under a hook but then gets caught clean with a jab in the fourth. He’s pinned in the corner until they break. Huni lands an uppercut then big left hook on the klaxons. Huni moved well and got into a bit of a rhythm in that round. His corner tell him “you’re looking good”, just before he comes out for the fifth.
Another even round there’s been a lot so far, Huni ends the segment on the ropes again.
Huni more aggressive in the sixth, perhaps looking to up the pace, but Lerena manages to get in a good left to the body. This round sees Lerena on the ropes and Huni is really coming on strong, throwing threes and fours, clearly going up in the gears as Lerena’s legs and workrate slows, marked up on the face now.
JPH bounces out of the corner on his toes for the seventh and instantly launched a one-two up top. Another good start. Lovely lead straight right lands clean. Lerena has visibly slowed and lost all aggression, but he tries to finish the round strongly.
Lerena’s head is being used for target practise in the eighth. A crunching right hook in close, then he created an angle for him to land a big left uppercut up through the guard. Lerena leans in and clinches midway, very static and inactive now.
Bleeding from the nose in the ninth, Lerena is only throwing single shots back but they are few and far between. The South African puts a few shots together in the last minute then even has success with a three-punch combo, but then Huni ended the round with a hard one-twon straight down the middle, Lerena took it well.
Last round, Huni heading to a points win, Lerena needing the knockout. Under attack, Lerena caught huni bang on the chin with a big left to wobble the Aussie, who staggered backwards. Lerena trapped him on the ropes and unloaded the tank, but never managed to empty it completely to score another big shot and Huni made it to the bell, where he won unanimously on points.
Mark Chamberlain vs Gavin Gwynne
10×3 WBA International Lightweight title
The pair exchange jabs to start, then Chamberlain brings his backhand left in early, but a clash of heads in their polar stances causes a serious swelling to Gwynne’s right eye.
Referee Mark Lyson takes a look at Gwynne’s injury at the start of round two. He allows him to box on and they immediately clash. Very high-octane fight to start. Chamberlain boxing well, Gwynne lands big left hook to remind him of his danger. Chamberlain putting his shots together well, landing a crunching left hook on the bell.
The ref calls the ringside doctor over at the start of the third for another look at that badly swollen right eye. The Welshman is permitted to box on, but it looks bad, the swelling is huge.
In the fourth, Chamberlain pinned Gwynne to the ropes with a three-punch combo and didn’t let him off, so ref Lyson jumped in to stop it with just seconds left in the round.
Israil Madrimov vs Magomed Kurbanov
12×3 WBA Super-Welterweight World title
Technical start, as expected, the 154-pounders jabbing and evading. Kurbanov on the backfoot showing a bit more variation with hooks and body shots, but then Madrimov lands a flush backhand straight down the pipe.
Second round catches fire, the contenders are opening up and putting power behind their shots. Kurbanov lands two nice left hooks but Madrimov is threatening too.
It’s a fairly even contest, but it’s possible Madrimov’s aggression could be taking over slowly.
Fourth round, Madrimov is landing more and more while Kurbanov is forced to stay on the backfoot.
Madrimov turned up the heat in the fifth, edged his feet in closer and really piled on the pressure to stop Kurbanov in the sixth round. Lining up his shot with his jab, held lingering at Kurbanov’s head, he landed a big right hand on his left cheek, then he repeated the shot moments later to really hurt his man, so he went in for the kill and threw the kitchen sink before the referee jumped in to stop the one-sided beatdown.
Chief Support – 8:50pm
Rey Vargas vs Nick Ball
12×3 WBC Featherweight World title
Ball outjabbing Vargas in the first despite sizeable difference. Ball lunges in and misses a few times, Vargas’s jabs evaded and blocked by Ball’s high guard. Very even, interesting first round.
Ball looks sensational in the second stanza. He’s gunning for Vargas, the champion backing off even slipping down to one knee at one point.
In the third, Ball threw Vargas to the floor and receives an inevitable warning. Showing the champion his strength there. Vargas jabs him off but Ball catches all on the gloves. Vargas slips to the floor again. Vargas targets the body but Ball beckons him on for more, clearly not respecting the champion’s power.
The fourth was a bit more even, like the first, Ball found himself falling through the ropes at one point. The challenger is enthused, the champion a little subdued, maybe surprised a little bit. One boxer looks like he’s enjoying himself, the other not so much.
Ball is hunting his man down in the fifth, Vargas is holding on. Good left hook to the chin from Ball. Vargas still aiming for the body.
Ball scores big left hook in the opening seconds of the sixth. They tangle up again and Vargas goes down again. The champion circling the ring to get away from the challenger’s high pressure. Ball traps him on the ropes but Vargas holds. Vargas gets a couple of right hands in to the body. Ball ends the round attacking Vargas. He’s so aggressive, possibly smothering his work a bit.
An overhand right in the seventh wobbles Vargas’s legs, the champion fights fire with fire, Ball gets another good right on his head, terrific round from Ball, finally able to get some success for all his hard work. The champion looks shaken and dishevelled on his way back to the corner, the bell saving him.
They tangle up in the eighth and Ball’s left hook knocked Vargas down and it’s scored. Ball threw Vargas yet again but the following punch put the champion down and it’s a bit of a talking point for later.
Vargas has outlanded Ball by about 20 punches by round 10. A body shot looks like it affected Ball. Good right hand from Ball it swipes rather than lands heavily. Ball is sprinting after Vargas, it’s so close.
Ball took a big left then dropped Vargas moments later with a good right hand. Vargas got back up then Ball landed another left hand on the bell. That’s two 10-8 rounds for Ball now.
Vargas gets a lovely right hand into the body but Ball is undeterred. Vargas gets another right into the body but Ball ends the fight with a left hook to the head. We go to the scorecards.
114-112 to Vargas, 116-110 Ball and 113-113 – split draw.
Co-Main Event – 9:50pm GMT
Zhilei Zhang vs Joseph Parker
12×3 WBO Interim Heavyweight World title
Tentative first round with Zhang trying to impose himself.
Zhang managed to get Parker at some point but still an uneventful second round.
In the third, a good backhand left from southpaw Zhang put Parker down. Parker looking marked up on his nose.
Parker goes down again from a chopping right hand in the eighth.
Parker using his jabs and one-twos to keep Zhang off him. Solid right hand from Parker.
Parker teeing off on Zhang in the 10th. Zhang a little too inactive. Parker nicking the rounds while Zhang isn’t being busy enough.
Parker’s jab marking up Zhang’s left eye. Parker’s activity has him ahead. Zhang’s slow feet struggling to ge him into firing range. Parker not hurting Zhang by busier winning him the rounds. Zhang open mouthed breathing heavily, so might not have enough in the tank to nick this. Busier fighter ahead on the cards.
Parker has outlanded Zhang by 70 punches to 39 in the final round. Zhang needs to go for the knockout but he seems unable to muster the energy to do it. Parker has once again fought the perfect fight.
113-113, 114-112, 115-111 to the new WBO Interim world champion Joseph Parker.
Main Event – 10:50pm GMT
Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou
10×3 Heavyweight Contest
Ngannou takes the centre of the ring, they’re pawing at each other then AJ floors Ngannou in the last minute of the first with a backhand right. Perfect shot right on the chin. Great start for AJ!
Another good right hand from AJ in the second stanza. AJ floors Ngannou again! Another big right hand and Ngannou goes down again and it’s all over! What a dominant performance from Joshua, clinical!
