Anthony Joshua secured a knockout victory over former MMA fighter Francis Ngannou in the second round of their heavyweight bout in Riyadh.
Ngannou surprised many when he knocked down Tyson Fury in October, only to lose a controversial split decision. He was hoping for a similar outcome against former two-time world champion Joshua.
The Cameroonian fighter had a strong start, landing a left hook and a looping right, but was ultimately stunned by a straight right from Joshua that sent him to the mat in an intense opening round.
Both fighters came out swinging in the second round. Joshua dodged a jab and landed a powerful right hand, which floored Ngannou for the second time.
Although Ngannou got back up, Joshua sealed the deal with a devastating right hand that knocked Ngannou out cold.
This victory marked Joshua’s fourth consecutive win after two consecutive losses, setting the stage for a potential future showdown with the winner of the upcoming unification fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Fury.
When asked about his recent improvement, Joshua credited the Ben Davison Performance Center, expressing gratitude for all those who have contributed to his development.
“I’m still learning, I’m still pushing, I’m just hungry.
“I’ll speak to my team but I’m just here to fight. Whatever they want me to do I’m down for whatever.”
Asked if he hoped that was either Usyk or Fury for all the belts, he added: “Yes it is.”
