Tag: Anthony Joshua

Eddie Hearn pokes fun at Francis Ngannou after brutal KO loss to Anthony Joshua: ‘I’m not sure he’s come around yet’

Eddie Hearn pokes fun at Francis Ngannou after KO loss against Anthony Joshua I don't think he's come around yetEddie Hearn has responded to Francis Ngannou as the former UFC heavyweight champ says he was tricked ahead of…

Eddie Hearn pokes fun at Francis Ngannou after KO loss against Anthony Joshua I don't think he's come around yet

Eddie Hearn has responded to Francis Ngannou as the former UFC heavyweight champ says he was tricked ahead of the Anthony Joshua fight.

Ngannou had his second boxing fight against Joshua after he fought Tyson Fury to a split decision loss. Yet, against Joshua, he suffered a second-round knockout loss as he was dominated by the Brit and was dropped three times, with the third being the knockout blow.

Francis Ngannou reveals myster warm up issue ahead of Anthony Joshua I kept falling asleep
Mandatory Credit: Richard Pelham

On Monday, Ngannou says he felt tricked as he says he had to get to the venue much earlier than Joshua which impacted him as he says he was tired by the time he fought.

“Listen, we both fought at 3am. What I think happened is that they get me to the arena very early. Like my pickup time was 10.30pm to go to the arena. And then when we get to the arena, they tell us that we are scheduled around 1:45am right? They come to the locker around 1am and Joshua [was just arriving around 1]. I’m like, ‘OK, we are fighting at the same time, how come I have a pickup time?’”

“We received a schedule, an email, and then for some reason I was there at least one hour before. But for the fight, at least two hours beforehand. They do this kind of trick to get you tired. I was like cool, I was like, ‘Bro, it’s okay.’ I didn’t know how important that was, until the fight day that I had to get there two hours before,” Ngannou said to Ariel Helwani (via TalkSPORT).

Eddie Hearn refuses to discuss Conor McGregor after Katie Taylor win I don't represent him
Mandatory Credit: James Chance

Following Ngannou’s comments, Eddie Hearn responded to those comments in a simple Instagram comment:

“I’m not sure he has come round yet,” Hearn wrote.

Although Francis Ngannou thinks he was tricked, Anthony Joshua did dominate the fight from start to finish and he showed the difference in levels between the two.

Francis Ngannou Still Open To Another Boxing Match

After Francis Ngannou’s loss to Anthony Joshua, many wondered if ‘The Predator’ would box again.

Ngannou is now 0-2 as a boxer, but he fought two of the top heavyweights alive. Although the focus will likely turn to MMA and fighting for PFL, Ngannou says he does have an interest in boxing again, and mentions the rematch with Tyson Fury as a possibility.

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But, for now, it seems likely that Ngannou’s next fight will be in the PFL against Renan Ferreira who knocked out Ryan Bader.

Eddie Hearn pokes fun at Francis Ngannou after brutal KO loss to Anthony Joshua: ‘I’m not sure he’s come around yet’

Eddie Hearn pokes fun at Francis Ngannou after KO loss against Anthony Joshua I don't think he's come around yetEddie Hearn has responded to Francis Ngannou as the former UFC heavyweight champ says he was tricked ahead of…

Eddie Hearn pokes fun at Francis Ngannou after KO loss against Anthony Joshua I don't think he's come around yet

Eddie Hearn has responded to Francis Ngannou as the former UFC heavyweight champ says he was tricked ahead of the Anthony Joshua fight.

Ngannou had his second boxing fight against Joshua after he fought Tyson Fury to a split decision loss. Yet, against Joshua, he suffered a second-round knockout loss as he was dominated by the Brit and was dropped three times, with the third being the knockout blow.

Francis Ngannou reveals myster warm up issue ahead of Anthony Joshua I kept falling asleep
Mandatory Credit: Richard Pelham

On Monday, Ngannou says he felt tricked as he says he had to get to the venue much earlier than Joshua which impacted him as he says he was tired by the time he fought.

“Listen, we both fought at 3am. What I think happened is that they get me to the arena very early. Like my pickup time was 10.30pm to go to the arena. And then when we get to the arena, they tell us that we are scheduled around 1:45am right? They come to the locker around 1am and Joshua [was just arriving around 1]. I’m like, ‘OK, we are fighting at the same time, how come I have a pickup time?’”

“We received a schedule, an email, and then for some reason I was there at least one hour before. But for the fight, at least two hours beforehand. They do this kind of trick to get you tired. I was like cool, I was like, ‘Bro, it’s okay.’ I didn’t know how important that was, until the fight day that I had to get there two hours before,” Ngannou said to Ariel Helwani (via TalkSPORT).

Eddie Hearn refuses to discuss Conor McGregor after Katie Taylor win I don't represent him
Mandatory Credit: James Chance

Following Ngannou’s comments, Eddie Hearn responded to those comments in a simple Instagram comment:

“I’m not sure he has come round yet,” Hearn wrote.

Although Francis Ngannou thinks he was tricked, Anthony Joshua did dominate the fight from start to finish and he showed the difference in levels between the two.

Francis Ngannou Still Open To Another Boxing Match

After Francis Ngannou’s loss to Anthony Joshua, many wondered if ‘The Predator’ would box again.

Ngannou is now 0-2 as a boxer, but he fought two of the top heavyweights alive. Although the focus will likely turn to MMA and fighting for PFL, Ngannou says he does have an interest in boxing again, and mentions the rematch with Tyson Fury as a possibility.

aj ngannou08032024 1qhm9iey2y5yb1gh0oqgzs7w83

But, for now, it seems likely that Ngannou’s next fight will be in the PFL against Renan Ferreira who knocked out Ryan Bader.

Eddie Hearn pokes fun at Francis Ngannou after brutal KO loss to Anthony Joshua: ‘I’m not sure he’s come around yet’

Eddie Hearn pokes fun at Francis Ngannou after KO loss against Anthony Joshua I don't think he's come around yetEddie Hearn has responded to Francis Ngannou as the former UFC heavyweight champ says he was tricked ahead of…

Eddie Hearn pokes fun at Francis Ngannou after KO loss against Anthony Joshua I don't think he's come around yet

Eddie Hearn has responded to Francis Ngannou as the former UFC heavyweight champ says he was tricked ahead of the Anthony Joshua fight.

Ngannou had his second boxing fight against Joshua after he fought Tyson Fury to a split decision loss. Yet, against Joshua, he suffered a second-round knockout loss as he was dominated by the Brit and was dropped three times, with the third being the knockout blow.

Francis Ngannou reveals myster warm up issue ahead of Anthony Joshua I kept falling asleep
Mandatory Credit: Richard Pelham

On Monday, Ngannou says he felt tricked as he says he had to get to the venue much earlier than Joshua which impacted him as he says he was tired by the time he fought.

“Listen, we both fought at 3am. What I think happened is that they get me to the arena very early. Like my pickup time was 10.30pm to go to the arena. And then when we get to the arena, they tell us that we are scheduled around 1:45am right? They come to the locker around 1am and Joshua [was just arriving around 1]. I’m like, ‘OK, we are fighting at the same time, how come I have a pickup time?’”

“We received a schedule, an email, and then for some reason I was there at least one hour before. But for the fight, at least two hours beforehand. They do this kind of trick to get you tired. I was like cool, I was like, ‘Bro, it’s okay.’ I didn’t know how important that was, until the fight day that I had to get there two hours before,” Ngannou said to Ariel Helwani (via TalkSPORT).

Eddie Hearn refuses to discuss Conor McGregor after Katie Taylor win I don't represent him
Mandatory Credit: James Chance

Following Ngannou’s comments, Eddie Hearn responded to those comments in a simple Instagram comment:

“I’m not sure he has come round yet,” Hearn wrote.

Although Francis Ngannou thinks he was tricked, Anthony Joshua did dominate the fight from start to finish and he showed the difference in levels between the two.

Francis Ngannou Still Open To Another Boxing Match

After Francis Ngannou’s loss to Anthony Joshua, many wondered if ‘The Predator’ would box again.

Ngannou is now 0-2 as a boxer, but he fought two of the top heavyweights alive. Although the focus will likely turn to MMA and fighting for PFL, Ngannou says he does have an interest in boxing again, and mentions the rematch with Tyson Fury as a possibility.

aj ngannou08032024 1qhm9iey2y5yb1gh0oqgzs7w83

But, for now, it seems likely that Ngannou’s next fight will be in the PFL against Renan Ferreira who knocked out Ryan Bader.

Francis Ngannou can’t remember when he ‘Came back from the stool’ for round two in Anthony Joshua fight

Francis Ngannou doesn’t remember getting up from the stool to start the second round of his boxing match with…

Francis Ngannou doesn’t remember getting up from the stool to start the second round of his boxing match with Anthony Joshua.

After delivering a show-stealing performance against Tyson Fury in October, Ngannou returned to Kingdom Arena in Riyadh for a clash with the WBC’s top-ranked contender. Intent on earning his way into a rematch with ‘The Gypsy King’ Ngannou instead faced an almost immediate disaster when he was sat down in the opening round with a straight right hand from his opponent.

Francis Ngannou

Ngannou answered the referee’s count and made it through the remainder of the round, but according to the former UFC heavyweight champion, everything after that knockdown was a blur.

“My memory and my vision kept going,” Ngannou said while speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I don’t remember when I came back from the stool to go to the second round. From the stool, in between rounds, I wasn’t there anymore. Some days are just not your day and you can’t explain what happened. It was quite weird.”

Francis Ngannou Says third boxing fight might come before PFL debut

Ngannou suffered a second knockdown in the second round before being finished off with a massive right hand that rendered the Cameroonian unconscious.

Francis Ngannou

Despite the setback, Ngannou appears to be far from done in the sweet science. Recently, he suggested that boxing now “owes him something” and that a third fight inside the ring could take precedence over his long-awaited debut inside the PFL Smart Cage.

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“What’s next for me? Maybe a third boxing match,” Ngannou said on his YouTube channel. “But I think now boxing owes me something now. I have to regain what boxing took from me. I think my ego will not let me step back and let this go like this without doing everything to restore and prove to the world that I’m the man for the job, I can do it. I slipped, but I didn’t fall. I stumbled, I didn’t fall.”

Francis Ngannou feels like ‘boxing owes him something’ following his devastating KO loss to Anthony Joshua

Francis Ngannou feels like 'boxing owes him something' following his devastating KO loss to Anthony JoshuaFrancis Ngannou isn’t done just yet. ‘The Predator’ returned to the squared circle on Friday, March 8, for a…

Francis Ngannou feels like 'boxing owes him something' following his devastating KO loss to Anthony Joshua

Francis Ngannou isn’t done just yet.

‘The Predator’ returned to the squared circle on Friday, March 8, for a showdown with the WBC’s top-ranked heavyweight contender, Anthony Joshua. The bout emanated from Kingdom Arena, the same venue where Ngannou went 10 rounds with Tyson Fury, and nearly defeated ‘The Gypsy King’ in his critically acclaimed pro boxing debut.

Unfortunately, things would not go quite as well for Ngannou the second time around. The former UFC heavyweight champion was sat down by Joshua in back-to-back rounds before being blasted with a vicious right hand that sent Ngannou crashing to the canvas.

Francis Ngannou KOd by Anthony Joshua

Many assumed that Francis Ngannou would head back to the world of mixed martial arts to make his long-awaited debut for the Professional Fighters League following the loss. However, ‘The Predator’ appears to have different plans. In a video on Ngannou’s YouTube channel, he reveals that a third boxing match could be next and admitted to feeling like boxing “owes” him something after his brutal defeat in the ‘Knockout Chaos’ headliner.

“What’s next for me? Maybe a third boxing match,” Ngannou said. “I feel like boxing owes me something now. I have to regain what boxing took out of me. I think my ego will not let me step back and let go of this without doing everything to reinstall and prove to the world that I am the man of this job. I can do it, you know. I slipped, but I didn’t fall. I stumbled, but I didn’t fall.

“I think if I go back, train, learn from it, and use it as an advantage and experience for my personal growth, I think it will not be a loss. I will be able to reverse it and make it a victory. A life victory. Not only a sports victory.”

Francis Ngannou and Anthony Joshua

Could We See Francis Ngannou vs. Deontay Wilder next?

We’re not sure if anyone is clamoring to see Francis Ngannou step back inside the boxing ring, but if he does, one of the names already being tossed around is Deontay Wilder. Holder of the WBC heavyweight title from 2015 to 2020, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ is considered to be one of the most dangerous punchers in the game, though he has struggled to find his way into the win column as of late.

After absorbing back-to-back losses against Tyson Fury, Wilder bounced back with a first-round knockout of Robert Helenius. Sadly, he followed up the quick finish with a lackluster performance against Joseph Parker in December 2023, losing via unanimous decision to the 35-3 fighter.

With both men coming off losses, it could be a perfect pairing. And if not, Francis Ngannou still has 2023 PFL heavyweight tournament winner Renan Ferreira eagerly waiting to welcome him to the Smart Cage.

Francis Ngannou reveals mystery warm up issue ahead of Anthony Joshua fight: ‘I was falling asleep’

Francis Ngannou reveals myster warm up issue ahead of Anthony Joshua I kept falling asleepFormer UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou provides update following horrific knockout loss to Anthony Joshua.  Last Friday proved a…

Francis Ngannou reveals myster warm up issue ahead of Anthony Joshua I kept falling asleep

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou provides update following horrific knockout loss to Anthony Joshua. 

Last Friday proved a step to far for Ngannou when he faced off with Joshua in Saudi Arabia. After dropping ‘The Predator’, Joshua would completely shut the lights out on an already dazed Ngannou in just the second round.

Fighters react to Anthony Joshua's KO win over Francis Ngannou stop coming to boxing it will only get worse
Mandatory Credit: Richard Pelham

Despite displaying a great chin throughout his career, Joshua left Ngannou utterly unconscious and in need of oxygen – a sight that many thought they would never see. Seeing a fighter in the state that he was is always concerning and while Ngannou does seem in good spirits, claimed that he was ‘falling asleep’ prior to the loss.

Francis Ngannou reveals issues warming up for Anthony Joshua fight

“I remember being in the locker room trying to warm ubut I was feeling asleep, I was sweating but I was feeling asleep,” Francis Ngannou said during an Instagram Live session. “No blame to anybody all the blame here is just about me it’s the game, walking into that (fight) we all knew it could happen, I wasn’t seeing it happen like that but I always knew it could happen.”

Ngannou would also confirm that he intends to continue fighting but has yet to state whether it will be MMA or boxing next. 

Francis Ngannou opens as massive betting favorite to beat Renan Ferreira in expected PFL debut

“I just want to let you guys know that it’s not over yet, not at all, we’re just getting started,” Ngannou said. “The only thing that we will miss here is time and I think we have a good amount of time ahead of us. 

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“As for right now, I’m going to take some time for myself spend some time with my family and friends, and then come back really and get ready for another challenge and adventure.”

Nagnnou is still signed to the PFL, who have stated their interest in pitting him against their heavyweight champion Rennan Ferreira, who recently defeated Bellator champion Ryan Bader. 

What would you like to see Francis Ngannou do next?