P4P great Demetrious Johnson believes Anthony Joshua could beat Francis Ngannou in the ring and the cage.
On Friday (March 8), ‘The Predator’ stepped inside the squared circle for the second time in his career to take on the WBC’s top-ranked contender, Anthony Joshua. Following a critically acclaimed performance against Tyson Fury in October, fight fans were anxious to see what Ngannou could do against one of the heavyweight division’s heaviest hitters. It took us less than two rounds to find out.
After sitting Ngannou down not once, but twice with a couple of solid straight rights, Joshua blasted the former UFC champion with a vicious right hook that immediately rendered Ngannou unconscious, sending him violently crashing to the canvas.
Following the contest, fans and fighters had plenty to say, but perhaps the hottest take from former UFC and current ONE flyweight world champion Demetrious Johnson. Speaking on his YouTube channel, ‘Mighty Mouse’ suggested that Anthony Joshua — who has never once competed in mixed martial arts — would deliver a similar result should the two titans run it back in MMA someday.
Demetrious Johnson says Anthony Joshua would also beat Francis Ngannou in MMA
Fact or cap?
(via @MightyMouse) pic.twitter.com/CKYr2VR4Vq
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) March 9, 2024
“Does Anthony Joshua beat Francis Ngannou in an MMA fight? I think he does and here’s the reason why — I think it would just be another striking match,” Johnson said. “AJ understands his distance. He has better hands than Francis and he can make make Francis whiff and miss again. Unless Francis is going to change his tactics and clinch him and wrestle him… But AJ is very athletic. He is smaller and more limber. I think he’d be able to stuff the shot and give it to Francis Ngannou.”
After Loss to Anthony Joshua, Francis Ngannou Heads back to MMA where 6’8″ monster Renan Ferreira awaits
Expected to make his Smart Cage debut later this year, Ngannou has previously spoken about a crossover clash with boxing star Deontay Wilder under the PFL banner. But first, ‘The Predator’ will have to contend with 6’8″ Renan Ferreira — winner of the 2023 PFL heavyweight tournament.
Last month, Ferreira scored a stunning 21-second knockout of Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader in the PFL vs. Bellator headliner. As a result, he will be the man to welcome Ngannou back to the world of MMA.