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Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou

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Knockout Chaos
Date8 March 2024
VenueKingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Tale of the tape
Boxer Anthony Joshua Francis Ngannou
Nickname AJ The Predator
Hometown Watford, Hertfordshire, UK Batié, Hauts-Plateaux, Cameroon
Pre-fight record 27–3 (24 KO) 0–1 (Boxing)
17–3 (12 KO) (MMA)
Age 34 years, 4 months 37 years, 6 months
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 252+12 lb (115 kg) 272+12 lb (124 kg)
Style Orthodox Orthodox
Recognition WBC/WBO
No. 1 Ranked Heavyweight
WBA/IBF/The Ring
No. 2 Ranked Heavyweight
TBRB
No. 3 Ranked Heavyweight
Former 2 time unified heavyweight champion
WBC
No. 10 Ranked Heavyweight
Former UFC Heavyweight Champion
Result
Joshua wins via 2nd-round KO

Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou, billed as Knockout Chaos, was a heavyweight professional boxing match contested between 2-time former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

Background

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Anthony Joshua (left) and Francis Ngannou (right)

Following his impressive stoppage of Otto Wallin in December 2023, Anthony Joshua was linked with IBF number one ranked Filip Hrgović or WBO "interim" titleholder Zhilei Zhang.[1] However in January 2024 it was confirmed that he would face former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, who in his only previous boxing bout scored a knockdown against WBC and Lineal champion Tyson Fury before losing a somewhat controversial split decision.[2][3]

The fights

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Undercard

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Before the main event, Israil Madrimov stopped Magomed Kurbanov to win the vacant WBA Super Welterweight belt. This was followed by Nick Ball challenging WBC featherweight champion Rey Vargas. After twice flooring the champion (once appearing to push him before handing a left hook) the bout was ruled a draw with scores of 116–110 for Ball, 114–112 for Vargas and 113–113.[4]

Zhang vs. Parker

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Knockout Chaos:Zhilei Zhang vs. Joseph Parker
Title(s) on the lineWBO interim heavyweight title
Tale of the tape
Boxer China Zhilei Zhang New Zealand Joseph Parker
Nickname "Big Bang" "Lupesoliai La'auliolemalietoa"
Hometown Zhoukou, Henan, China Auckland, Auckland Region, New Zealand
Pre-fight record 26–1–1 (21 KOs) 34–3 (23 KOs)
Age 40 years, 10 months 32 years, 1 month
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 291+12 lb (132 kg) 247+12 lb (112 kg)
Style Southpaw Orthodox
Recognition WBO
Interim Heavyweight Champion
TBRB
No. 2 Ranked Heavyweight
The Ring
No. 3 Ranked Heavyweight
WBO
No. 2 Ranked Heavyweight
WBA/WBC
No. 3 Ranked Heavyweight
The Ring/TBRB
No. 4 Ranked Heavyweight
Result
Parker wins via 12th-round MD
Zhilei Zhang (left) and Joseph Parker (right)

In the chief support WBO "Interim" titleholder Zhilei Zhang faced former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker (WBO: 2nd WBC / WBA: 3rd).

Parker was dropped twice in the bout, once in 3rd with a left hand and once in the 8th with a left-right hook combination. However Zhang's lack of output compared to Parker cost him, as two of the judges scored it for Parker 114–112 & 115–111, with the third having it 113–113.

Preceded by Zhilei Zhang's bouts
8 March 2024
Succeeded by
Preceded by Joseph Parker's bouts
8 March 2024
Succeeded by
TBA

Main Event

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Joshua dominated the bout, knocking down Ngannou, who switched to southpaw, with a straight right hand (a punch often dubbed as the 'southpaw killer') down the pipe in the 1st round. Ngannou beat the count and reverted to orthodox but was floored again in the 2nd. He again rose to his feet, but Joshua finished the fight with another right hand that left Ngannou flat on the canvas for several minutes afterwards.[5][6]

Aftermath

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Speaking in the ring after the bout promoter Eddie Hearn said "You’re looking at the number one heavyweight in the world, unquestionably. On this form, there is no man in the world that can beat him in the heavyweight division." before stating his desire for Joshua to face the winner of the planned May 18 bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.[7]

Ngannou later confirmed that he will continue boxing despite the loss. However he dropped out of the top twenty rankings of WBC due to his second straight loss.[8]

Fight card

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Weight Class vs. Method Round Time Notes
Main Card
Heavyweight United Kingdom Anthony Joshua def. Cameroon Francis Ngannou KO 2 (10) 2:38
Heavyweight New Zealand Joseph Parker def. China Zhilei Zhang (c) MD 12 Note 1
Featherweight Mexico Rey Vargas (c) vs. United Kingdom Nick Ball SD 12 Note 2
Super Welterweight Uzbekistan Israil Madrimov def. Russia Magomed Kurbanov TKO 5 (10) 2:20 Note 3
Lightweight United Kingdom Mark Chamberlain def. United Kingdom Gavin Gwynne TKO 4 (10) 2:48 Note 4
Heavyweight Australia Justis Huni def. South Africa Kevin Lerena UD 10 Note 5
Super Welterweight United Kingdom Louis Greene def. United Kingdom Jack McGann TKO 1 (10) 1:29
Heavyweight United Kingdom Roman Fury def. Czech Republic Martin Svarc PTS 4
Super Lightweight Saudi Arabia Ziyad Almaayouf def. Mexico Christian Lopez Flores PTS 6
Heavyweight Ukraine Andrii Novytskyi def. United States Juan Torres KO 3 (8) 2:43

^Note 1 For WBO interim heavyweight title
^Note 2 For WBC featherweight title
^Note 3 For WBA super-welterweight title
^Note 4 For WBA Inter-continental lightweight title
^Note 5 For WBO Global heavyweight title

References

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  1. ^ Coral Barry; Kal Sajad (24 December 2023). "Anthony Joshua v Deontay Wilder fight slips away again but Briton emerges as biggest winner". bbc.co.uk/. BBC. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Anthony Joshua: Briton to face ex-UFC fighter Ngannou in Saudi Arabia, confirms promoter Hearn". bbc.co.uk. BBC. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Anthony Joshua v Francis Ngannou: Heavyweight fight set for 8 March in Saudi Arabia". bbc.co.uk. BBC. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  4. ^ Kal Sajad (9 March 2024). "Rey Vargas v Nick Ball: Briton's WBC featherweight challenge ends in split-decision draw". bbc.co.uk. Kingdom Arena, Riyadh: BBC. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  5. ^ Bobbie Jackson (8 March 2024). "'Don't leave boxing' - Relive Joshua's win over Ngannou". bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  6. ^ Kal Sajad (9 March 2024). "Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou: Briton delivers statement win with second-round knockout". bbc.co.uk. Kingdom Arena, Riyadh: BBC. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  7. ^ Kal Sajad (9 March 2024). "Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou: Briton rediscovers swagger as rival Tyson Fury watches on". bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  8. ^ Mishra, Mrinal (2024-03-21). "Boxing Rankings: Francis Ngannou Out From WBC Top 20 After Anthony Joshua Knockout Loss". EssentiallySports. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
Preceded by Anthony Joshua's bouts
8 March 2024
Succeeded by
Preceded by Francis Ngannou's bouts
8 March 2024
Succeeded by
TBA