In a sensational headline, Eddie Hearn, the promoter for Matchroom, expressed his apprehension and anticipation for the upcoming bout between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou. Hearn, known for his nerves in high-stakes fights, predicts a knockout victory for his star fighter, Joshua, in their highly anticipated ten-round clash on March 8th in Saudi Arabia.
Hearn’s worries stem from witnessing Ngannou’s impressive performance against Tyson Fury last October, where he outperformed the WBC champion in a non-title fight in Riyadh. This match provided Joshua and his training team with valuable insight, as they had the opportunity to analyze Ngannou’s style over the course of ten rounds. However, Hearn acknowledges that this may not be sufficient preparation.
Given Ngannou’s formidable punching power demonstrated in his fight against Fury, Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) may need to deliver an impeccable performance to avoid a second career knockout and potential downfall. A loss to Ngannou would eliminate Joshua from contention for a matchup against Fury or Oleksandr Usyk, leaving him with no choice but to pursue a rematch with Francis.
Unlike in Joshua’s rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019, where Ruiz’s lack of discipline hindered his performance, Ngannou’s commitment to maintaining his physical well-being makes it unlikely that Joshua can rely on his opponent’s negligence. Hearn could potentially avoid a rematch with Ngannou by appealing to higher authorities for an opportunity to face the victor of the Fury-Ngannou clash, even if Joshua were to suffer a defeat.
Although such a scenario would undermine the integrity of the sport, it is already being criticized for the current arrangement of Joshua facing Ngannou for the chance to compete against the winner of the Fury-Ngannou showdown, rather than facing a legitimate top-10 contender like Zhilei Zhang.
Expressing his cautious optimism, Hearn acknowledges the immense challenge that Ngannou presents due to his limited professional experience of only ten rounds. Hearn, speaking to iFL TV, conveys his nerves and excitement surrounding Joshua’s fight against Ngannou on March 8th.
Despite the inherent risks, Hearn believes that Joshua possesses the skills necessary to secure a knockout victory. He predicts that it may take six, seven, or eight rounds, but ultimately envisions Joshua’s hand being raised in triumph. Hearn is confident that Joshua’s superior abilities will prove insurmountable for Ngannou.
According to the Source boxingnews24.com