Decision Friday: Why losing is not an option for Anthony Joshua
On paper you would expect Nigeria born British Pugilist Anthony Joshua to demolish bragging Mixed Martial Art (MMA) star turned boxer Francis Ngannou when both players square up in the ring on Friday in Riyadh.
The reason from a layman’s angle is that Joshua has always been a boxer and has garnered a lot of experience in his area of specialisation. There is no way a cross-over fellow can subdue him in his comfort zone if you like. But like say you never say never and you never know with sports, anything can happen cause mistakes are usually costly.
There is a lot riding on the outcome of the fight, with former world champion Joshua looking to continue climbing the heavyweight rankings once again and Ngannou aiming to prove he belongs in the sport after making the jump from MMA.
READ ALSO Anthony Joshua vows to knockout Ngannou in Saudi Arabia
For Ngannou, MMA will always be there. He has hinted at a return to the sport following his departure from the UFC, but it’s not the same for Joshua. He’s always been about boxing, and another devastating loss could cost his career dearly.
Boxing fans have been wondering for years whether two of Britain’s biggest heavyweight titans Tyson Fury and Joshua will ever meet due to countless breakdowns in negotiations.
Major re-union ahead Friday bout in Saudi.
The couple put aside their differences to pose for an iconic photo alongside Ngannou and Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday night, and once again all signs seem to point to a possible showdown.
Both men are not getting any younger. Fury is 35 years old and claimed to have retired as recently as his victory over Dillian Whyte in early 2022, while Joshua is now 34 years old and has undergone a bit of a personality change since damaging back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
However, since then, Joshua has recorded three straight wins and is one of the biggest titleholders in the division. He already has a lot left to do.
READ ALSO Anthony Joshua’ll be cheap to handle says Ngannou camp
“His Excellency said the winner of this fight will face the winner of Fury-Usyk,” Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said. MMA time. “That is a dream opportunity for us because we pursued it for a long time.
“AJ will beat Francis Ngannou, and then he will beat the winner of Fury-Usyk, and become the undisputed world heavyweight champion.”
If both men win their matches, then a fight is possible. And since Fury admits that he has a hard time staying out of the ring, two losses could also lead to a showdown.