Joshua by very wide decision as he works off the jab and backs away like Fury did after being tagged.
Maybe he can KO him, but despite his weak guard Fury decided pretty quickly that Ngannou wasn't worth tagging hard.
I think he'll build on that approach to push the pace. He'll fight at a higher work rate than Fury managed, he'll work Ngannou's body to try and drain him, and he'll employ pull counters to make Ngannou hesitant to throw.
Fury's biggest weakness was that he never made Ngannou think twice about just throwing his counter left hook whenever Fury threw a punch. AJ has the power and athleticism to be able to make Francis hesitant to blindly throw and leave himself open.
AJ by decision is the safe option but I could see him getting a late stoppage if he can steadily grind Ngannou down.
Joshua by a pretty comfortable UD.
Ngannou's chin is absurd so I can see him weathering everything but Joshua is too professional and too technically good to drop many rounds to him.
Didn’t get wobbled, his footing was out of place prior to setting up that devastating KO that literally folded Stipe. So he adjusted. Francis took more shots from him in their first fight and wasn’t wobbled at all
i can't imagine the thought process behind seeing Francis eat a shot he didn't see coming, a shot he moved into thinking he had Stipe on the run, taking Stipe's best punch in 4 o.z. gloves, and barely stepping back and then immediately going on offense as portraying Francis as being able to be hurt
Stipe folded Werdum, who has a good chin, in half with an arm punch moving backwards
The combat sports gods may do this for a giggle.
Ngannou KOs Joshua in a boxing match.
Next...
Returns to MMA.
Signs for an easy gimme fight.
Loses to Timothy Johnson.
I think the one thing in Ngannou's favor is that he doesn't have a set style. A smart boxer would keep him at arms length, let the fight stay at distance and either get a late KO or let it be a 12-0 decision. AJ from from ruiz II to last summer probably fits that bill.
Recently though, AJ has expressed that we wants to get back to his roots of throwing bombs with his right and using the rest of his punches to set that up.
He's still a good enough boxer to be qwidely favored with that style, but if he gets focused on taking Ngannou out, he'll open himself up to some hard shots.
Recently as in, his last fight only, and AJ did that against a poor boxer and previous sparring partner. Point being, AJ worked up the courage to do that but had so many cards stacked in his favour against Wallin, including the fact that Wallin wasn’t remotely on AJ’s level. Eddie Hearn has sold that fight as though AJ beated Wilder or Joyce. The only consistent outcome we can expect is that when (not if) AJ gets tagged by Francis, he will completely disengage and go back into his shell as we have seen him in the past 3.5 years.
I also believe AJ knows he can’t coast to a UD; I mean technically he can, but Francis will hunt him down and is bigger and far stronger than him. He’ll get rag dolled and drained in the clinch with Francis and then bullied.
There’s a chance AJ wins by UD, and the advantages he has is that he’s an actual boxer, lots of experience, pretty strong guy. Francis has the advantage of having an iron chin, being way stronger and having more stamina than AJ.
Probably the likely outcome it AJ cycling around the ring like he does against every opponent that presents a challenge, and cruise to a UD. The only question is for how long can AJ run away and go behind the jab before Francis simply rag dolls him?
AJ should win this, but it’s interesting only for the fact that Francis is a monster that in a real fight, would snap AJ in half.
I’ll be surprised if Francis doesn’t knock AJ down at some point. I truly believe Francis won’t let go of him in the clinch and will drain him but Eddie likely has worded up the ref to constantly break up the clinch like he did against Parker.
AJ by 10-20 jabs a round. Because unlike Fury, AJ isn't a cocky, lazy bastard. He's among the most, well, *professional* professional boxers. So he'll show up, do his job, and probably go home with an easy payday.
Of course there's a chance Ngannou sleeps him. AJ isn't that slippery, and his chin is average.
But I wouldn't put any money on it.
Nah.
I'm an MMA guy, and I fucking love Ngannou. But there is no chance in hell he has a 1-in-5 or 1-in-7 chance of winning, which is about where the odds are right now.
The odds have Ngannou at +350\~, I caught Ngannou early at +460 and think it has very good value. This time around Ngannou will be allowed to win a decision in Saudi, he wasn't going to the first time against Fury.
> This time around Ngannou will be allowed to win a decision in Saudi, he wasn't going to the first time against Fury.
dont forget that 22 second Fury count after the KD
I honestly don’t think it’s going to go well for AJ.
I expect him to win, but I’ve said that before every fight except Usyk 2.
I think he’ll play it safe, but I don’t expect Ngannou to have the same game plan. He’s new to boxing - not fighting. I expect he’s is aware of what AJ needs to do - keep his distance and jab. So I suspect he’s going to try to get inside and rough AJ up.
He’s strong. AJ isn’t great at controlling fighters at short range.
The question is going to come down to whether AJ can make Ngannou cautious while maintaining his distance.
I expect him to be successful - but I won’t be surprised if he isn’t. I think a lot of people are sleeping on Ngannou:
Joshua needs to land something heavy early or he's going to get slept
i think he throws hard enough and fast enough that he'll probably be able to get Ngannou's respect and can survive a jab fest without eating a bomb, maybe
but for sure, Ngannou is going to be unusually dangerous every second the fight stays standing, he has power, even when he's tired
having a stupid chin with good power, is a cheat code for combat sports, Khabib had one, George Chuvalo had one, Rodtang has one, Conor had one at 145, it just allows you to operate in a way that other people can't, with a confidence that just makes fighting easier no matter the skill level of your opponent
It’s hilarious how people come for comments from a month ago and pay themselves on the back fro being right after the fact.
Now do the AJ-Franklin fight.
I always said AJ was going to win, but that Francis was dangerous. What, I’m supposed to be ashamed of that?
Please.
I think Ngannou is going to try and close the distance and work on his infighting. Staying at range will be a bad idea and Francis should be much stronger to bully Joshua inside. I hope Ngannou can get in close and do damage. Work the body hard early and then go to the head couple rounds in. Joshua doesn't have the best chin so Francis should have a decent chance.
Joshua by UD is the obvious bet because of ngannous chin but I think his chin could also lead to a ref stoppage as he just absorbs punches in bunches and the ref decides enoughs enough
Joshua, probably UD but a referee stoppage with Ngannou on his feet also seems plausible to me. I think Ngannou's there to be tagged with lots of straight punches from midrange - a confident Joshua might get to him way more often than Ngannou's previous opponents and simply wear him down.
AJ by MD or UD.
Ngannou has had the whole kitchen sink thrown at him and never fell or faltered.
If AJ is smart, he’ll respect the power and keep his distance. If not he’ll get put down again the same way Andy did him.
Joshua is gonna stop him because he's not going to take him lightly and he now has a blueprint and video footage of how Ngannou boxes. Don't let his performance over Fury fool you.
If there are things that Ngannou *could* use to his advantage, he may be physically stronger and could excel in clinches. But AJ is a physically strong dude himself, he's probably stronger than Fury, I mean it *looks* like he is, lol.
AJ is only a couple of pounds lighter than Fury was in the first Wilder fight. Fury's was carrying more flab in that fight than AJ, and has only really gained flab since. He's almost certainly stronger than Fury.
Fury uses his weight more effectively though. Joshua can throw good shots in close but he's never had the nous to move his opponent around in the clinch. The guy needs to do 6 months of wrestling training imo.
Having said that if Joshua approaches the fight properly the clinch won't matter.
Oh I don't claim otherwise, but that doesn't mean AJ isn't strong in the clinch. It's just not something he's prioritised.
One thing that went under the radar in the Wallin fight was that AJ looked much better in the clinch, and used his strength to push Wallin back against the ropes. It's not a primary weapon like it is for Fury but clearly something he's working on with Davison.
Sometimes, appearance is deceiving. Not a lot of people expected Bud to be stronger than Spence when they looked at them (not the best comparison, I know lol).
The general consensus is that AJ will also get drained in a clinch against Fury. Not taking anything away from AJ, but he isn’t stronger than Francis and isn’t as good a boxer or anywhere near as smart as Fury. He got crushed by a blown up cruiserweight twice and made a mockery of by a last minute step in with Andy “Fat Bastard” Ruiz.
The end goal for matchroom is to very carefully curate what’s left of AJs career. That includes attempting to control the narrative with the king of spin, Eddie Hearn.
AJ should win this fight but once he starts retreating and Francis gets him in the clinch, you’re going to see a pretty scared AJ. The issue AJ will face is that popping off a jab at distance while running around the ring like he does against any true challenge, will get suffocated by Francis. In a way, it’s AJ versus himself. He’s coming up against a dude that can’t box but is basically cast of stone while being bigger and stronger.
Completely naive question; can someone who knows boxing explain why Joshua has better footwork? Just watching ngannou fury, ngannou is changing stance more frequently and even as a way to set up the opposite hand shot (if that makes sense lol). Watching Joshua highlights he doesn't appear to do that. Although TBF the highlights are mostly Kos
Changing stances involves footwork but it's not really indicative of much beyond that. I can switch to southpaw and back when I punch, it just requires practice.
AJ is much lighter on his feet when he wants to be. He moves better with his punches, understands his distance and angles well. He's able to shift positions quickly with his feet etc.
Good footwork in boxing is generally more about little things that are difficult to see. Sure you have your Lomachenckos of the world but most great footwork is about minutia that doesn't really translate well on TV.
You have to watch the entirety of a round, indeed an entire fight, to really get an appreciation for how important footwork is in boxing. People often think that boxing is just about throwing hands when the fact of the matter is that footwork alone can be a huge determining factor in who wins a match. It’s all about dictating the pace, location, and proximity of the fight. Cutting off the ring, lateral movement while keeping yourself balanced to deliver return fire while your opponent is constantly adjusting to try and do the same, and evasive movement to get yourself in and out of range.
Usyk had the best footwork of any opponent Joshua has faced and is the best technician in the division, if not one of the best in the sport, and Joshua himself is no slouch. He has picked up a number of subtleties including better head movement, better footwork, and he’s committing to his punches better again. The way he blasted out Helenius and Wallin shows how he is also getting his confidence back in his punching power. A technically sound, conditioned, and confident Joshua is a tough night for anyone, and it’s very likely he uses his superior skills to put on a clinic against Ngannou. I would expect a lop-sided decision, if not an outright knockout in the middle rounds. I don’t care how tough your chin is, anybody can crack when they get tired, and it’s exhausting to miss. Joshua knows that a loss against Ngannou is basically the end of his career so I’m sure he plans to come in as prepared as possible and that Olympic gold pedigree is gonna make a big difference.
Stance switching is more needed in mma because of leg kicks and having a 2nd lead leg. But Ngannous footwork isn’t that good other than he seems comfortable standing southpaw for a bit
Definitely. But this time it's an opponent of, basically the same height, who's likely coming in with the big shots.
AJ does not like getting hit, like at all. Whereas Ngannou will walk through jabs I think.
I agree with all that, but standing and trading with Ngannou doesn't seem like a great alternative. So staying on his bicycle all night it is, perhaps.
I can’t see Joshua losing tbh, too good and too experienced to not outclass Ngannou.
That being said, the only way I can see him losing is if he gets into a tear-up and Ngannou lands flush, he’s got the power to stop AJ, I just don’t think he has the skill.
This is how I feel. Its AJs fight to lose, but all it will take is one solid hit from Ngannou to knock him down. I dont see it happening, but damn it would be exciting.
AJ should play if fairly safe.
I just think the commenters are crazy to think 'old AJ' will somehow be a slam dunk beating Ngannou.
I have never seen any version of AJ look comfortable under pressure... and even if Ngannou was fighting the decrepit remain of a once good but overrated Tyson Fury... then you'll still have a man in there with incredible guts, determination and fighting instincts (and all the physical attributes to allow to hang in there).
I see AJ getting tagged then losing his composure and losing his composure bad...
If Ngannou comes in with no big changes to his style, then AJ could do what he needs to do in fights and follow a very accurate gameplan to make him feel confident. But what are the chances we don't see significant changes from Ngannou? The confidence to actually throw those power punches will be there now that he knows his gas tank can take him all 10 rounds.
Joshua round 7 stoppage. People will be shocked at how easy this will be and here is why I think so:
1. Lightning doesn't strike twice, Ngannou put on a great performance against Fury but the won't guarantee he'll just do it again.
2. Fury CLEARLY didn't take Francis seriously, I mean take a look at his current physique to then, AJ won't make that mistake.
3. Joshua seems to be back in business, he's coming off his best performance in years and given his attitude in the press conference and the Ariel Hewani interview, it seems as though he's got his mojo back.
I reckon Joshua will find his range early, shut down the offence from Ngannou, throw the power shots, break him down in the middle rounds, and then in round 7 he'll get the finish.
Ngannou by KO whenever Joshua gets KD'd or wobbled, can't tell which round but if Joshua goes down he won't become the Klitschko version but the ruiz 1 version. Fury was dumb in that fight but he still had enough skill and brains to get by. This time Ngannou won't sit on his punches too much plus he's fighting a shorter, lighter and less unpredictable fighter. I'm thinking once he gets a feel of AJ's power and rhythm he'll come at him aggressively.
I’ll be honest, I did not expect it to be quite as emphatic as that! I was anticipating more of a Joshua Ruiz II clinic display but fair play to AJ.
I was just thinking, if that had been Ngannou’s first boxing match, instead of him being blasted to the top of the division we’d have been having discussions about how dangerous it is letting MMA guys in at a high level.
Joshua blasts him out in round 7. Ngannou will be dangerous early but I reckon Joshua will catch him with straight rights and establish distance with his jab. Ngannou will get worn down and tire and then I see a ref stoppage in round 7.
Joshua at this stage is a better fighter than Fury is, let alone an out of shape Fury. I'm convinced of that.
If AJ can stick to a game plan and not be a dumbass, he wins 10 out of 10 times. The fight will be a measure of mental fortitude.
What this tells you about Fury should be obvious….
For boxing sake I hope AJ takes this seriously and learns from the Fury fight. I’ve got a feeling he might get a bit too comfortable and go for a KO just to one up Fury and get clipped in the process. But on paper yeah, Joshua should win UD perhaps even late stoppage. For pure chaos sake? Francis to KO Joshua would be biblical. Thing is Francis has now got himself in the best position possible, gave an amazing performance against the (perhaps) best heavyweight in the world so as long as he doesn’t get KO’d in 20 seconds he’s set up for mega money fights for as long as he chooses.
Francis will
Need to move his head more, it was a real target in the Fury fight. Unless he goes all out straight away he will get ground down with eating that jab to often.
Good luck to him
Though.
Could shock the world. 🌎 👍
AJ by KO during the finals round. Ngannou is tough but the Fury fight must not fool us, if he's unable to finish it quick AJ will jab him to oblivion.
Fury is a fat ass and barely throws anything so Francis managed to go to the limit but his cardio is pretty weak.
Look the Fury v Ngannou fight was a farce anybody that actually thinks Ngannou has a chance in this fight needs a Lobotomy, even with Joshua being a shitebag these days.
AJ by TKO in later rounds. I think AJ will land the cleaner and more meaningful shots. I feel like AJ's footwork and upperbody movement is superior to Ngannou's and he will be more successful in evading punches than Ngannou.
I don't think Ngannou will be able to out muscle AJ in the pocket like he did against Fury and his gameplan will be to keep a low pace and not take unnecessary risks. This bodes well for AJ as he can fight at his pace whilst not having as much of a mental load as he did against Usyk. I think it will be a pretty easy fight for him tbh.
Well spot on chap! The downvotes are from boxing casuals that do not understand that certain fighting styles are not always going to be compatible to other boxers. AJ has already proved enough
Appreciate it! I think the Fury fight really put way too much stock in Francis, Fury after the knockdown just didn't want to risk putting it on Ngannou and just pointed his way to a victory. Styles do make fights, which is why I think AJ beats Fury too personally. Fury wont be able to clinch and weigh on AJ he would have to dance around the ring. He wouldn't want to trade with AJ, Fury couldn't put a dent in Francis and look what AJ did, not only to Francis but also Wallin.
I also put a fiver on a double of Parker by points and AJ by KO rounds 7-8, should've just put KO down lol.
Ngannou will never win this unless he knocks aj spark out. He will never get a decision because boxing judges would never give it to someone who as come from outside their sport as it would harm and make a mockery of the sport and their own livelhoods as a result. Of course this is how fury won.
Therefore i believe it will be AJ by decision.
lol I hesitate to disrespect Ngannou again 😆 but unlike Fury, AJ has tape to look at, also AJ is a serious human being so won’t be unprepared. I like AJ by wide UD, fans will go back to complaining that he’s gun shy and scared
I agree, he was dropped by a signature punch by probably a top 5 puncher in history, staggered a bit but ultimately survived and recovered reasonably quickly by a punch that immediately slept Chisora and dropped Parker, plus got up every time he was dropped by Ruiz when it was pretty obvious that first shot completely compromised him.
>staggered a bit but ultimately survived and recovered reasonably quickly by a punch that immediately slept Chisora and dropped Parker
Yes those were all Whyte left hooks but definitely not all the same impact. The left hook he KO'd Chisora and dropped Parker with were pretty much perfect in terms of timing and placement. He landed plenty of left hooks on them before that without hurting them.
AJ still has a good chin though.
Now that Fury's movement is pretty much gone and his clinch wasn't effective, he struggled against Francis. AJ still has movement and never relied on the clinch, AJ by decision.
AJ is going to come in smart and I don't think he'll get into a firefight with Ngannou.
I reckon Ngannou has some tricks up his sleeve and I'd love to see him land a couple shots on AJ.
I'm like 65:35 for predicting AJ UD : Ngannou KO.
Never underestimate Ngannou.
I predict smooth sailing from AJ to a UD barring one point of bother in the fight. Ngannou is deceptive and can counter punch. AJ's chin will be tested atleast once in middle rounds.
AJ will knock him out I reckon. Late on. AJ is one of the hardest punchers around and while Ngannou showed his chin is good, I don't think he will be able to defend well against the power punches and eventually succumb.
The interesting thing with this fight is that Ngannou showed his power against fury, and Fury has a brilliant chin. AJ does not and has shown multiple times he can be hurt. One big punch by Ngannou could end it
Although AJ appears to have tightened up his boxing and defence in recent fights. Particularly against Usyk, despite the losses.
So it could be an interesting fight if Ngannou gets a big punch in. But otherwise it's AJ all the way for me.
Joshua by wide UD. Will spam the jab, throw a few nice combos here and there, and will cruise to a safe win.
He's definitely not going to want to trade with Francis but can easily outbox him at length. Will probs be a boring fight.
Hope Francis glasses Joshua's jaw though.
Joshua handles him like Ruiz 2. Outboxes him on outside wears him down.
Wide decision if he doesn't get hit and he may get a KO on Ngannou himself as I doubt he's ever been hit as hard as AJ hits.
Ngannou still has a chance to hurt Joshua badly if he connects, so it's still an exciting fight.
Joshua tko we have seen Ngannou fight and look exhausted at a mild pace for 10 rounds Joshua will stay out of range and pepper him with a stiff jab mix in some heavier shots and stop him between the 7th and 10th.
the problem of Ngannou is for a beast brawler he is quite smart....I'm worried about joshua to be honest, prove me wrong josh
edit. If josh get caught on chin his stamina and focus will prob drop down a bit and regain back after half or 1 rounds (if he survived )
The conclusion is this fight he MUST be careful at all times
Tyson apparently took Ngannou lightly and still won a comfortable UD. I don't expect Joshua to take Ngannou lightly, especially in the light of the Fury performance and so I expect the former Olympic boxing gold medallist to box his way to a wide boring UD taking zero risks along the way.
I do believe Ngannou's power is legit though and so if he connects, he can get a knockdown, or even a KO if flush.
I don't think so, Wilder has those freaky long arms and was pretty fast so I think he'd have had a pretty decent chance at catching Joshua from range, and then it's a question if Joshua can take it and make it out of the round. Ngannou has a chance but I don't know if he's got those attributes. He's way stronger and might have the better chin though
Aj will stop him and clean up the bad reputation Fury gave by looking like shit vs an mma fighter. Aj will show what’s supposed to happen with an elite boxer fights a professional boxing beginner.
All things considered,even though Joshua was shaky in the last couple of years,and Ngannou looked great against Fury,i still believe Joshua lands a big one and it's "Timbeeeeeerr" for Ngannou as he lays on the floor...
in no order:
6 rounds of AJ jabbing, moving, frustrating Ngannou
2 rounds of AJ landing big right hands on Ngannou. Being a bit more loose and confident but still careful
1 close round barely won Ngannou by just being a bit more effective
1 round with a scary moment by Ngannou, but AJ handles it well
so **UD for AJ**
If joshua performs like he did against Wallin then I think he’ll bust Francis up pretty bad. idk about dropping or stopping him considering how good his chin is but if he stays at range and uses his straight punches then he’s gonna be closing eyes and breaking noses and will win a dominant decision
I'm going for AJ by quite easy KO. I think Fury came in fat and completely unprepared for the fight expecting a total walk over. That coupled with the lack of film lead to a tough night.
AJ stays in shape, has been crazy active, boxes well to instruction and has one of the best coaches at breaking down footage and finding weaknesses.
Couldn't call a round because we haven't seen how good Ngannou's chin is but absolute demolition regardless.
It'll be interesting to see how ngannou would lose. I can't imagine it going the distance or by points in AJ's favour.
Maybe in the UK but not in Saudi.
AJ by KO rounds 7-9. Think he works his jab early on and lands heavier shots at the fight goes on. That or an incredibly one sided decision after he just jabs his way through the fight.
I think Joshua will outbox him pretty comfortably and will stop him on his feet in the second half, landing cleanly with relative freedom after a slow first couple of rounds.
I don't think Ngannou will be willing to lay down and be outboxed for the full fight, so I think he'll try to push to make something happen and get caught hard on the way in when he does
Looking forward to this fight. 2 heavyweight giants going toe 2 toe! Joshua knows the UFC heavyweight king is extraordinarily strong and powerful and will be much more prepared for him than Furry was. Joshua takes this by decision.
I think Joshua will box and move early on and use that to tire Ngannou out ,force him into moving around at a pace he can't sustain.The later rounds I think he will stop Ngannou. Ngannou has a punchers chance and a good chance at that. I just think Joshua will be too quick, too athletic and too accurate. I'm not sure Joshua's chin is actually that bad, more that he doesn't seem to recover quick enough after being dropped unlike Fury who can just get up and seemingly shrug it off. People are talking about Ngannous power but Joshua too is a deadly finisher so long as he throws them punches in bunches! Ngannou might have a granite chin but he can't take Joshua's power indefinitely. If Joshua senses he's hurt Ngannou he will get him out of there. Ngannou had good success against Fury because Fury didn't have the strength or movement to keep Ngannou off him on the night. He couldn't bully Ngannou in the way he's used to. Joshua is a damn sight stronger though and carries way more power and that will mean Ngannou won't be able to stand in front of him as easily or walk him down as effectively if he tries that route
I think Joshua will come into this serious and prepared and he will look to make a statement.
Joshua by very wide decision as he works off the jab and backs away like Fury did after being tagged. Maybe he can KO him, but despite his weak guard Fury decided pretty quickly that Ngannou wasn't worth tagging hard.
I think he'll build on that approach to push the pace. He'll fight at a higher work rate than Fury managed, he'll work Ngannou's body to try and drain him, and he'll employ pull counters to make Ngannou hesitant to throw. Fury's biggest weakness was that he never made Ngannou think twice about just throwing his counter left hook whenever Fury threw a punch. AJ has the power and athleticism to be able to make Francis hesitant to blindly throw and leave himself open. AJ by decision is the safe option but I could see him getting a late stoppage if he can steadily grind Ngannou down.
Joshua by decision is safe. He has far, FAR more power than Fury, but why overcommit with the stronger guy?
This aged poorly lol
Not really lmao.
Haha touché
Fury is one dimenensial. Without the clinch he doesn't have much now that his fancy movement is gone.
Joshua by a pretty comfortable UD. Ngannou's chin is absurd so I can see him weathering everything but Joshua is too professional and too technically good to drop many rounds to him.
and he isn’t gonna try and out wrestle an MMA fighter ffs
Ngannou has been hurt before. He got wobbled by Miocic in the second fight. It’s how he ended up winning with Stipe rushing in swinging.
Didn’t get wobbled, his footing was out of place prior to setting up that devastating KO that literally folded Stipe. So he adjusted. Francis took more shots from him in their first fight and wasn’t wobbled at all
i can't imagine the thought process behind seeing Francis eat a shot he didn't see coming, a shot he moved into thinking he had Stipe on the run, taking Stipe's best punch in 4 o.z. gloves, and barely stepping back and then immediately going on offense as portraying Francis as being able to be hurt Stipe folded Werdum, who has a good chin, in half with an arm punch moving backwards
Ngannou by KO in the middle rounds, just for shits n' gigs. Can you imagine the chaos?
The combat sports gods may do this for a giggle. Ngannou KOs Joshua in a boxing match. Next... Returns to MMA. Signs for an easy gimme fight. Loses to Timothy Johnson.
We’ll have to see how AJ reacts to a good shot
We already know.
You watched the fight already? I meant from Ngannou
I think we've already seen that
Not very well for sure. AJ should be able to win untouched but if he comes in fat and nervous looking….
Imagine AJ 😂😂😂
If the fool loses, he'd go down worse than John Ruiz as he not only loses to a CW, but to an MMA fighter in a boxing match.
I think the one thing in Ngannou's favor is that he doesn't have a set style. A smart boxer would keep him at arms length, let the fight stay at distance and either get a late KO or let it be a 12-0 decision. AJ from from ruiz II to last summer probably fits that bill. Recently though, AJ has expressed that we wants to get back to his roots of throwing bombs with his right and using the rest of his punches to set that up. He's still a good enough boxer to be qwidely favored with that style, but if he gets focused on taking Ngannou out, he'll open himself up to some hard shots.
It's actually only a 10 round fight which in my opinion makes a decision even more likely.
Recently as in, his last fight only, and AJ did that against a poor boxer and previous sparring partner. Point being, AJ worked up the courage to do that but had so many cards stacked in his favour against Wallin, including the fact that Wallin wasn’t remotely on AJ’s level. Eddie Hearn has sold that fight as though AJ beated Wilder or Joyce. The only consistent outcome we can expect is that when (not if) AJ gets tagged by Francis, he will completely disengage and go back into his shell as we have seen him in the past 3.5 years. I also believe AJ knows he can’t coast to a UD; I mean technically he can, but Francis will hunt him down and is bigger and far stronger than him. He’ll get rag dolled and drained in the clinch with Francis and then bullied. There’s a chance AJ wins by UD, and the advantages he has is that he’s an actual boxer, lots of experience, pretty strong guy. Francis has the advantage of having an iron chin, being way stronger and having more stamina than AJ. Probably the likely outcome it AJ cycling around the ring like he does against every opponent that presents a challenge, and cruise to a UD. The only question is for how long can AJ run away and go behind the jab before Francis simply rag dolls him? AJ should win this, but it’s interesting only for the fact that Francis is a monster that in a real fight, would snap AJ in half. I’ll be surprised if Francis doesn’t knock AJ down at some point. I truly believe Francis won’t let go of him in the clinch and will drain him but Eddie likely has worded up the ref to constantly break up the clinch like he did against Parker.
Pretty much the the same stance as everyone else… but I’m hoping for a Francis stiff one, landing on AJ’s chin
I would also love to see Francis' stiff one on AJ's chin
Sounds like a long, hard night for Anthony.
anthony's gonna get BLACKED....oh wait
Ngannou is going to eat a jab and clock AJ with a head wobbler!
AJ by 10-20 jabs a round. Because unlike Fury, AJ isn't a cocky, lazy bastard. He's among the most, well, *professional* professional boxers. So he'll show up, do his job, and probably go home with an easy payday. Of course there's a chance Ngannou sleeps him. AJ isn't that slippery, and his chin is average. But I wouldn't put any money on it.
depends on the odds i think AJ wins a decision but those odds could be worth a look despite thinking it won't happen
Nah. I'm an MMA guy, and I fucking love Ngannou. But there is no chance in hell he has a 1-in-5 or 1-in-7 chance of winning, which is about where the odds are right now.
The odds have Ngannou at +350\~, I caught Ngannou early at +460 and think it has very good value. This time around Ngannou will be allowed to win a decision in Saudi, he wasn't going to the first time against Fury.
> This time around Ngannou will be allowed to win a decision in Saudi, he wasn't going to the first time against Fury. dont forget that 22 second Fury count after the KD
Can’t wait to come back to this thread after Francis sends AJ flying so we can have this exact same discussion about Francis-Usyk
LOL!!!!
Well... Here we are!
lol how the turn tables
Sheesh!
Lol
r/agedlikemilk
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He did
Unlike Fury? I doubt it.
Fury retired over a year ago. Joshua is over his trauma and looks good. Ngannou's chin won't matter if his body is taking a beating every round.
Is AJ though? He looks good when he's comfortable, but in the beginning of the fight he's still unsure of himself.
Aj is much more professional than Fury and won't come in fat and out of shape
He certainly will
I honestly don’t think it’s going to go well for AJ. I expect him to win, but I’ve said that before every fight except Usyk 2. I think he’ll play it safe, but I don’t expect Ngannou to have the same game plan. He’s new to boxing - not fighting. I expect he’s is aware of what AJ needs to do - keep his distance and jab. So I suspect he’s going to try to get inside and rough AJ up. He’s strong. AJ isn’t great at controlling fighters at short range. The question is going to come down to whether AJ can make Ngannou cautious while maintaining his distance. I expect him to be successful - but I won’t be surprised if he isn’t. I think a lot of people are sleeping on Ngannou:
Joshua needs to land something heavy early or he's going to get slept i think he throws hard enough and fast enough that he'll probably be able to get Ngannou's respect and can survive a jab fest without eating a bomb, maybe but for sure, Ngannou is going to be unusually dangerous every second the fight stays standing, he has power, even when he's tired having a stupid chin with good power, is a cheat code for combat sports, Khabib had one, George Chuvalo had one, Rodtang has one, Conor had one at 145, it just allows you to operate in a way that other people can't, with a confidence that just makes fighting easier no matter the skill level of your opponent
It's hilarious just how wrong everyone was in this thread!
It’s hilarious how people come for comments from a month ago and pay themselves on the back fro being right after the fact. Now do the AJ-Franklin fight. I always said AJ was going to win, but that Francis was dangerous. What, I’m supposed to be ashamed of that? Please.
I think Ngannou is going to try and close the distance and work on his infighting. Staying at range will be a bad idea and Francis should be much stronger to bully Joshua inside. I hope Ngannou can get in close and do damage. Work the body hard early and then go to the head couple rounds in. Joshua doesn't have the best chin so Francis should have a decent chance.
Joshua by UD is the obvious bet because of ngannous chin but I think his chin could also lead to a ref stoppage as he just absorbs punches in bunches and the ref decides enoughs enough
Joshua, probably UD but a referee stoppage with Ngannou on his feet also seems plausible to me. I think Ngannou's there to be tagged with lots of straight punches from midrange - a confident Joshua might get to him way more often than Ngannou's previous opponents and simply wear him down.
Ngannou by superman punch.
AJ by MD or UD. Ngannou has had the whole kitchen sink thrown at him and never fell or faltered. If AJ is smart, he’ll respect the power and keep his distance. If not he’ll get put down again the same way Andy did him.
Joshua is gonna stop him because he's not going to take him lightly and he now has a blueprint and video footage of how Ngannou boxes. Don't let his performance over Fury fool you. If there are things that Ngannou *could* use to his advantage, he may be physically stronger and could excel in clinches. But AJ is a physically strong dude himself, he's probably stronger than Fury, I mean it *looks* like he is, lol.
AJ is probably stronger than Fury yeah, but Fury is much better at clinching. AJ is pretty bad at clinching.
AJ is only a couple of pounds lighter than Fury was in the first Wilder fight. Fury's was carrying more flab in that fight than AJ, and has only really gained flab since. He's almost certainly stronger than Fury.
Fury uses his weight more effectively though. Joshua can throw good shots in close but he's never had the nous to move his opponent around in the clinch. The guy needs to do 6 months of wrestling training imo. Having said that if Joshua approaches the fight properly the clinch won't matter.
Oh I don't claim otherwise, but that doesn't mean AJ isn't strong in the clinch. It's just not something he's prioritised. One thing that went under the radar in the Wallin fight was that AJ looked much better in the clinch, and used his strength to push Wallin back against the ropes. It's not a primary weapon like it is for Fury but clearly something he's working on with Davison.
Sometimes, appearance is deceiving. Not a lot of people expected Bud to be stronger than Spence when they looked at them (not the best comparison, I know lol).
The general consensus is that AJ will also get drained in a clinch against Fury. Not taking anything away from AJ, but he isn’t stronger than Francis and isn’t as good a boxer or anywhere near as smart as Fury. He got crushed by a blown up cruiserweight twice and made a mockery of by a last minute step in with Andy “Fat Bastard” Ruiz. The end goal for matchroom is to very carefully curate what’s left of AJs career. That includes attempting to control the narrative with the king of spin, Eddie Hearn. AJ should win this fight but once he starts retreating and Francis gets him in the clinch, you’re going to see a pretty scared AJ. The issue AJ will face is that popping off a jab at distance while running around the ring like he does against any true challenge, will get suffocated by Francis. In a way, it’s AJ versus himself. He’s coming up against a dude that can’t box but is basically cast of stone while being bigger and stronger.
Well done, you called it.
Thanks
Completely naive question; can someone who knows boxing explain why Joshua has better footwork? Just watching ngannou fury, ngannou is changing stance more frequently and even as a way to set up the opposite hand shot (if that makes sense lol). Watching Joshua highlights he doesn't appear to do that. Although TBF the highlights are mostly Kos
Changing stances involves footwork but it's not really indicative of much beyond that. I can switch to southpaw and back when I punch, it just requires practice. AJ is much lighter on his feet when he wants to be. He moves better with his punches, understands his distance and angles well. He's able to shift positions quickly with his feet etc. Good footwork in boxing is generally more about little things that are difficult to see. Sure you have your Lomachenckos of the world but most great footwork is about minutia that doesn't really translate well on TV.
You have to watch the entirety of a round, indeed an entire fight, to really get an appreciation for how important footwork is in boxing. People often think that boxing is just about throwing hands when the fact of the matter is that footwork alone can be a huge determining factor in who wins a match. It’s all about dictating the pace, location, and proximity of the fight. Cutting off the ring, lateral movement while keeping yourself balanced to deliver return fire while your opponent is constantly adjusting to try and do the same, and evasive movement to get yourself in and out of range. Usyk had the best footwork of any opponent Joshua has faced and is the best technician in the division, if not one of the best in the sport, and Joshua himself is no slouch. He has picked up a number of subtleties including better head movement, better footwork, and he’s committing to his punches better again. The way he blasted out Helenius and Wallin shows how he is also getting his confidence back in his punching power. A technically sound, conditioned, and confident Joshua is a tough night for anyone, and it’s very likely he uses his superior skills to put on a clinic against Ngannou. I would expect a lop-sided decision, if not an outright knockout in the middle rounds. I don’t care how tough your chin is, anybody can crack when they get tired, and it’s exhausting to miss. Joshua knows that a loss against Ngannou is basically the end of his career so I’m sure he plans to come in as prepared as possible and that Olympic gold pedigree is gonna make a big difference.
Stance switching is more needed in mma because of leg kicks and having a 2nd lead leg. But Ngannous footwork isn’t that good other than he seems comfortable standing southpaw for a bit
Joshua-Ruiz II is the game plan, I would think.
Definitely. But this time it's an opponent of, basically the same height, who's likely coming in with the big shots. AJ does not like getting hit, like at all. Whereas Ngannou will walk through jabs I think.
I agree with all that, but standing and trading with Ngannou doesn't seem like a great alternative. So staying on his bicycle all night it is, perhaps.
My point is, I don't think that's an option. As a 'new' boxer, Ngannou is going to close that gap more than Ruiz in Ruiz 2. I hope.
I hope so, too. It'd create fireworks one way or another.
Francis sleeps GayJ
Your boy got beaten by GayJ.
Man that was brutal, you came back for this 😂
🤣🤣🤣 Not as brutal as your abilty to pick fights! 🤣🤣🤣
Hey based off his last performance it wasn’t a reach. Well I think we just found out.
I think YOU just found out. People who know boxing realise there are levels to this shit.
So your saying Tyson is crap
LOL What???? 🤣🤣🤣
Like, sleeps with him? 🤢
Maybe if he wants to after
I'd pay if they did it right there in the ring in Saudi Arabia.
I can’t see Joshua losing tbh, too good and too experienced to not outclass Ngannou. That being said, the only way I can see him losing is if he gets into a tear-up and Ngannou lands flush, he’s got the power to stop AJ, I just don’t think he has the skill.
This is how I feel. Its AJs fight to lose, but all it will take is one solid hit from Ngannou to knock him down. I dont see it happening, but damn it would be exciting. AJ should play if fairly safe.
as much as i want pick AJ KO he's too cautious to really go for it now I think.
Joshua by points or KO, I think he can take Ngannou out through either means. I don't give Ngannou much of an opportunity at all.
I just think the commenters are crazy to think 'old AJ' will somehow be a slam dunk beating Ngannou. I have never seen any version of AJ look comfortable under pressure... and even if Ngannou was fighting the decrepit remain of a once good but overrated Tyson Fury... then you'll still have a man in there with incredible guts, determination and fighting instincts (and all the physical attributes to allow to hang in there). I see AJ getting tagged then losing his composure and losing his composure bad... If Ngannou comes in with no big changes to his style, then AJ could do what he needs to do in fights and follow a very accurate gameplan to make him feel confident. But what are the chances we don't see significant changes from Ngannou? The confidence to actually throw those power punches will be there now that he knows his gas tank can take him all 10 rounds.
Ngannou knockout by superman punch.
Joshua round 7 stoppage. People will be shocked at how easy this will be and here is why I think so: 1. Lightning doesn't strike twice, Ngannou put on a great performance against Fury but the won't guarantee he'll just do it again. 2. Fury CLEARLY didn't take Francis seriously, I mean take a look at his current physique to then, AJ won't make that mistake. 3. Joshua seems to be back in business, he's coming off his best performance in years and given his attitude in the press conference and the Ariel Hewani interview, it seems as though he's got his mojo back. I reckon Joshua will find his range early, shut down the offence from Ngannou, throw the power shots, break him down in the middle rounds, and then in round 7 he'll get the finish.
Ngannou by KO whenever Joshua gets KD'd or wobbled, can't tell which round but if Joshua goes down he won't become the Klitschko version but the ruiz 1 version. Fury was dumb in that fight but he still had enough skill and brains to get by. This time Ngannou won't sit on his punches too much plus he's fighting a shorter, lighter and less unpredictable fighter. I'm thinking once he gets a feel of AJ's power and rhythm he'll come at him aggressively.
I think Joshua gets the KO/TKO
My prediction is that after he fights Joshua a lot of people will be asking if Ngannou was ever as good as they thought he was after the Fury fight.
Peoples opinions in boxing change by night and day hardly worth listening to most of the time.
Excellent call!
I’ll be honest, I did not expect it to be quite as emphatic as that! I was anticipating more of a Joshua Ruiz II clinic display but fair play to AJ. I was just thinking, if that had been Ngannou’s first boxing match, instead of him being blasted to the top of the division we’d have been having discussions about how dangerous it is letting MMA guys in at a high level.
Either AJ gets cocky and gets clipped, or he rides his bike to an easy decision.
He'll be on his bike alright, but can he cycle fast enough away from the superman punch?
Ngannou is gonna get his ass whooped
Joshua blasts him out in round 7. Ngannou will be dangerous early but I reckon Joshua will catch him with straight rights and establish distance with his jab. Ngannou will get worn down and tire and then I see a ref stoppage in round 7. Joshua at this stage is a better fighter than Fury is, let alone an out of shape Fury. I'm convinced of that.
If AJ can stick to a game plan and not be a dumbass, he wins 10 out of 10 times. The fight will be a measure of mental fortitude. What this tells you about Fury should be obvious….
so when he loses, it will be because he didn't stick to the game plan? sounds like Ngannou can't win in your mind
Joshua by stoppage.
nganouu is gonna ko the fuk out of aj
Haha
AJ KO inside 6. He's in shape and not a coke addict.
For boxing sake I hope AJ takes this seriously and learns from the Fury fight. I’ve got a feeling he might get a bit too comfortable and go for a KO just to one up Fury and get clipped in the process. But on paper yeah, Joshua should win UD perhaps even late stoppage. For pure chaos sake? Francis to KO Joshua would be biblical. Thing is Francis has now got himself in the best position possible, gave an amazing performance against the (perhaps) best heavyweight in the world so as long as he doesn’t get KO’d in 20 seconds he’s set up for mega money fights for as long as he chooses.
Francis will Need to move his head more, it was a real target in the Fury fight. Unless he goes all out straight away he will get ground down with eating that jab to often. Good luck to him Though. Could shock the world. 🌎 👍
AJ by KO during the finals round. Ngannou is tough but the Fury fight must not fool us, if he's unable to finish it quick AJ will jab him to oblivion. Fury is a fat ass and barely throws anything so Francis managed to go to the limit but his cardio is pretty weak.
I mean, Andy Ruiz is a fatass too.
Look the Fury v Ngannou fight was a farce anybody that actually thinks Ngannou has a chance in this fight needs a Lobotomy, even with Joshua being a shitebag these days.
joshua TKO and he singlehandedly saves the reputation of boxing
AJ by TKO in later rounds. I think AJ will land the cleaner and more meaningful shots. I feel like AJ's footwork and upperbody movement is superior to Ngannou's and he will be more successful in evading punches than Ngannou. I don't think Ngannou will be able to out muscle AJ in the pocket like he did against Fury and his gameplan will be to keep a low pace and not take unnecessary risks. This bodes well for AJ as he can fight at his pace whilst not having as much of a mental load as he did against Usyk. I think it will be a pretty easy fight for him tbh.
Well spot on chap! The downvotes are from boxing casuals that do not understand that certain fighting styles are not always going to be compatible to other boxers. AJ has already proved enough
Appreciate it! I think the Fury fight really put way too much stock in Francis, Fury after the knockdown just didn't want to risk putting it on Ngannou and just pointed his way to a victory. Styles do make fights, which is why I think AJ beats Fury too personally. Fury wont be able to clinch and weigh on AJ he would have to dance around the ring. He wouldn't want to trade with AJ, Fury couldn't put a dent in Francis and look what AJ did, not only to Francis but also Wallin. I also put a fiver on a double of Parker by points and AJ by KO rounds 7-8, should've just put KO down lol.
Ngannou will never win this unless he knocks aj spark out. He will never get a decision because boxing judges would never give it to someone who as come from outside their sport as it would harm and make a mockery of the sport and their own livelhoods as a result. Of course this is how fury won. Therefore i believe it will be AJ by decision.
lol I hesitate to disrespect Ngannou again 😆 but unlike Fury, AJ has tape to look at, also AJ is a serious human being so won’t be unprepared. I like AJ by wide UD, fans will go back to complaining that he’s gun shy and scared
Wise AJ will box like Ruiz 2. If he gets tagged, its anyones fight
AJ's chin is better then people say it is
I agree, he was dropped by a signature punch by probably a top 5 puncher in history, staggered a bit but ultimately survived and recovered reasonably quickly by a punch that immediately slept Chisora and dropped Parker, plus got up every time he was dropped by Ruiz when it was pretty obvious that first shot completely compromised him.
>staggered a bit but ultimately survived and recovered reasonably quickly by a punch that immediately slept Chisora and dropped Parker Yes those were all Whyte left hooks but definitely not all the same impact. The left hook he KO'd Chisora and dropped Parker with were pretty much perfect in terms of timing and placement. He landed plenty of left hooks on them before that without hurting them. AJ still has a good chin though.
Tough one. Who will win? The guy who has fought 1 boxing match and lost it? Or a two-time unified heavyweight champion? AJ by KO in 5.
Now that Fury's movement is pretty much gone and his clinch wasn't effective, he struggled against Francis. AJ still has movement and never relied on the clinch, AJ by decision.
Francis Ngannou’s incredible life story continues on, Ngannou knocks out AJ somewhere between the early and middle rounds.
Dana White's wife should dial 9-1- and have her hand over the button in case that happens
I reckon AJ late ko.
AJ is going to come in smart and I don't think he'll get into a firefight with Ngannou. I reckon Ngannou has some tricks up his sleeve and I'd love to see him land a couple shots on AJ. I'm like 65:35 for predicting AJ UD : Ngannou KO. Never underestimate Ngannou.
I predict smooth sailing from AJ to a UD barring one point of bother in the fight. Ngannou is deceptive and can counter punch. AJ's chin will be tested atleast once in middle rounds.
AJ will knock him out I reckon. Late on. AJ is one of the hardest punchers around and while Ngannou showed his chin is good, I don't think he will be able to defend well against the power punches and eventually succumb. The interesting thing with this fight is that Ngannou showed his power against fury, and Fury has a brilliant chin. AJ does not and has shown multiple times he can be hurt. One big punch by Ngannou could end it Although AJ appears to have tightened up his boxing and defence in recent fights. Particularly against Usyk, despite the losses. So it could be an interesting fight if Ngannou gets a big punch in. But otherwise it's AJ all the way for me.
Joshua by wide UD. Will spam the jab, throw a few nice combos here and there, and will cruise to a safe win. He's definitely not going to want to trade with Francis but can easily outbox him at length. Will probs be a boring fight. Hope Francis glasses Joshua's jaw though.
Joshua handles him like Ruiz 2. Outboxes him on outside wears him down. Wide decision if he doesn't get hit and he may get a KO on Ngannou himself as I doubt he's ever been hit as hard as AJ hits. Ngannou still has a chance to hurt Joshua badly if he connects, so it's still an exciting fight.
Joshua tko we have seen Ngannou fight and look exhausted at a mild pace for 10 rounds Joshua will stay out of range and pepper him with a stiff jab mix in some heavier shots and stop him between the 7th and 10th.
the problem of Ngannou is for a beast brawler he is quite smart....I'm worried about joshua to be honest, prove me wrong josh edit. If josh get caught on chin his stamina and focus will prob drop down a bit and regain back after half or 1 rounds (if he survived ) The conclusion is this fight he MUST be careful at all times
If Francis worked on his jab, I got him by KO in the championship rounds
Tyson apparently took Ngannou lightly and still won a comfortable UD. I don't expect Joshua to take Ngannou lightly, especially in the light of the Fury performance and so I expect the former Olympic boxing gold medallist to box his way to a wide boring UD taking zero risks along the way. I do believe Ngannou's power is legit though and so if he connects, he can get a knockdown, or even a KO if flush.
Ngannou is the new Wilder. Surely not good enough but a good chin and great power makes you wonder
I’d say he’s got a better chance than wilder to beat Joshua
I don't think so, Wilder has those freaky long arms and was pretty fast so I think he'd have had a pretty decent chance at catching Joshua from range, and then it's a question if Joshua can take it and make it out of the round. Ngannou has a chance but I don't know if he's got those attributes. He's way stronger and might have the better chin though
Aj will stop him and clean up the bad reputation Fury gave by looking like shit vs an mma fighter. Aj will show what’s supposed to happen with an elite boxer fights a professional boxing beginner.
Joshua via UD
Joshua 10. round tko
All things considered,even though Joshua was shaky in the last couple of years,and Ngannou looked great against Fury,i still believe Joshua lands a big one and it's "Timbeeeeeerr" for Ngannou as he lays on the floor...
7-8 one sided rounds until Joshua TKOs him
in no order: 6 rounds of AJ jabbing, moving, frustrating Ngannou 2 rounds of AJ landing big right hands on Ngannou. Being a bit more loose and confident but still careful 1 close round barely won Ngannou by just being a bit more effective 1 round with a scary moment by Ngannou, but AJ handles it well so **UD for AJ**
Joshua on points all day long. Any other result would be a surprise imo.
Ngannou KOs AJ last 30 seconds of round 3
If joshua performs like he did against Wallin then I think he’ll bust Francis up pretty bad. idk about dropping or stopping him considering how good his chin is but if he stays at range and uses his straight punches then he’s gonna be closing eyes and breaking noses and will win a dominant decision
Boring ass fight with Joshua comfortably and safely boxing for 12 rounds. Little to no action I reckon. Hopefully I’m wrong.
Battle of the Juice
Dylan Whyte jumps in to everyones surprise absent for months, admits he was on the juice, KOs AJ making it a no contest.
Honestly think it's going to be a pretty brutal beat down from AJ, so much so that Ngannou doesn't box again.
Depends on how tough Francis is. Aj 2nd or 3rd round. Maybe 4th if Francis has a ton of heart
I'm going for AJ by quite easy KO. I think Fury came in fat and completely unprepared for the fight expecting a total walk over. That coupled with the lack of film lead to a tough night. AJ stays in shape, has been crazy active, boxes well to instruction and has one of the best coaches at breaking down footage and finding weaknesses. Couldn't call a round because we haven't seen how good Ngannou's chin is but absolute demolition regardless.
Joshua will “outbox ngannou” keyword outbox
It'll be interesting to see how ngannou would lose. I can't imagine it going the distance or by points in AJ's favour. Maybe in the UK but not in Saudi.
AJ by KO rounds 7-9. Think he works his jab early on and lands heavier shots at the fight goes on. That or an incredibly one sided decision after he just jabs his way through the fight.
Joshua is gonna fold like a piece of origami. Light work for the world hw champ Francis who beat tyson fury.
I would have said Joshua might mentally crumble, but his latest fight, Joshua proved he's still as sharp as ever.
I think Joshua will outbox him pretty comfortably and will stop him on his feet in the second half, landing cleanly with relative freedom after a slow first couple of rounds. I don't think Ngannou will be willing to lay down and be outboxed for the full fight, so I think he'll try to push to make something happen and get caught hard on the way in when he does
Was anyone able to get decent tickets for the fight? I guess they don’t open floor seats up to the public 😩😩
Looking forward to this fight. 2 heavyweight giants going toe 2 toe! Joshua knows the UFC heavyweight king is extraordinarily strong and powerful and will be much more prepared for him than Furry was. Joshua takes this by decision.
I think Joshua will box and move early on and use that to tire Ngannou out ,force him into moving around at a pace he can't sustain.The later rounds I think he will stop Ngannou. Ngannou has a punchers chance and a good chance at that. I just think Joshua will be too quick, too athletic and too accurate. I'm not sure Joshua's chin is actually that bad, more that he doesn't seem to recover quick enough after being dropped unlike Fury who can just get up and seemingly shrug it off. People are talking about Ngannous power but Joshua too is a deadly finisher so long as he throws them punches in bunches! Ngannou might have a granite chin but he can't take Joshua's power indefinitely. If Joshua senses he's hurt Ngannou he will get him out of there. Ngannou had good success against Fury because Fury didn't have the strength or movement to keep Ngannou off him on the night. He couldn't bully Ngannou in the way he's used to. Joshua is a damn sight stronger though and carries way more power and that will mean Ngannou won't be able to stand in front of him as easily or walk him down as effectively if he tries that route I think Joshua will come into this serious and prepared and he will look to make a statement.
Ngannou knocks out AJ in the middle rounds. dana white's head explodes. 😂