Anthony Joshua produced one of the finest performances of his career in a devastating knockout of Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua, a former two-time unified heavyweight champion, took a step closer to a blockbuster undisputed fight against Tyson Fury with a superior performance to his rival, who was made to work by the Cameroonian on his debut last October. in October.
Joshua dropped the former UFC champion twice before a crushing third knockdown pinned Ngannou to the canvas in an emphatic stoppage.
The 34-year-old confirmed he is now in line to face the winner of Fury against Oleksandr Usyk, who beat ‘AJ’ twice previously. Follow the latest reaction and relive all the action from Knockout Chaos below:
Tyson Fury provides update on Anthony Joshua fight
“There’s quite a long way to go, there’s always been a lot of shit getting in the way of it. I’ve got bigger fish to fry, 18 May, then we have a rematch in October. After that, if he’s still available and I’m available, let’s get it on.
“yes, it goes both ways, he can do what he wants, whoever he fights, he can’t wait a year, inactivity is no good.
“After I beat Usyk, the IBF will be vacant, so maybe he can fight Hrgovic.
“I’m healing well, I’m not even in camp yet, I’ll go to camp at the end of March and I’ll spar then.
“I’m sure Usyk will have something to say about that, since he beat him twice. Me and Usyk fight for the No 1 and No 2 position in the sport.
“I had a shit performance against Ngannou, styles make fights, I almost got it right, I said one round. He did fantastic tonight.
“It’s what a boxer should have done to him. Well done. If he fights me in the future, after I’ve fought Usyk twice, next year…”
Eddie Hearn: “I’m so proud of him, His Excellency said if we win this fight, we’ll fight the winner of Fury v Usyk. You’re looking at the baddest man on the planet, on this form, there’s no man that can beat this man in the heavyweight division.
“Please beat Usyk, you’ll get the biggest fight in the history of the sport.
“Always staying in the gym, working, never took a shortcut. He ain’t getting beat. That was one of the most destructive knockouts I’ve ever seen. What I said would happen happened, he destroyed Ngannou, he’s a savage, a beast, I can’t wait for him to beat Tyson Fury.”
AJ reacts to crushing knockout
“It is what it is. What I was saying, en route to the championship, you should stay focused. I stepped aside from the mission, I thought it was for the broadcasters for entertainment.
“But I saw him against Fury and thought ‘damn, he can fight’. We welcomed him, he’s a great champion. It doesn’t take away from his capability. He can come again, I told him he can stay in boxing. It’s up to him.
“The Ben Davison performance centre [is the reason for my improvement]. I’m hungry, stay hungry and all that good stuff.
“I don’t know [if I’m coming into my peak], it only takes one shot, if that was me, you’d be saying, ‘Joshua should retire’. I don’t know if I’m in my peak, I’m pushing day by day, who knows where it will take me? In five years I won’t be fighting no more, this will be a distant memory.
“I just want to fight – yes it is [the winner of Fury v Usyk].”
Joshua dropped ex-UFC champion Ngannou in round one with a clean right hand, before doing the same in round two. After Ngannou beat the referee’s count following the second knockdown, Joshua knocked the Cameroonian out cold with his very next punch – another right cross.
With the win, “AJ” made it back-to-back wins under coach Ben Davison, a former trainer of Tyson Fury. Under Davison, 34-year-old Joshua stopped Otto Wallin in five rounds in December.
Billed as ‘Knockout Chaos’, Friday’s fight night was the latest event put on by Turki Al-Sheikh in Saudi Arabia.
Anthony Joshua knocks Francis Ngannou out cold with ruthless performance
‘AJ’ dropped the ex-UFC champion in round one and twice in round two, with the final knockdown proving decisive