Anthony Joshua versus Francis Ngannou (fight, matches, MMA)
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Anthony Joshua has an impressive background and a lot more experience in professional boxing than Francis Ngannou. I think on paper one can argue that Ngannou has no real chance. Of course, that's what everyone said prior to the Tyson Fury match and Ngannou scored the only knockdown and lost by a close split decision.
You have to hand it to Ngannou - he doesn't think small. He's taken on two top opponents in his first two professional boxing matches. While he gets big paydays for that, if he has a loss in his second bout as well, I think interest in him might cool at 0-2. I suppose that at his age, Ngannou figures he doesn't have time to work his way up the ranks.
I like an underdog, and hope Ngannou can get the "W" in his second pro boxing match.
Full disclosure, I didn't watch the Fury fight, but heard he was content fighting off his back foot the entire time, aka, no pressure coming forward put on the guy who never had been in a boxing match before. Not saying it was rigged, but the idea that Ngannou was THAT good isn't something I believe, but again, I didn't watch it.
With Joshua, who knows? I imagine he is a very heavy favorite, but when tagged Joshua tends to fold up, so maybe it will be a fight worth watching.
Full disclosure, I didn't watch the Fury fight, but heard he was content fighting off his back foot the entire time, aka, no pressure coming forward put on the guy who never had been in a boxing match before. Not saying it was rigged, but the idea that Ngannou was THAT good isn't something I believe, but again, I didn't watch it.
With Joshua, who knows? I imagine he is a very heavy favorite, but when tagged Joshua tends to fold up, so maybe it will be a fight worth watching.
I don't think you're giving Ngannou enough credit, as you make it sound like the fight wasn't close, but it was a split decision:
95-94 Ngannou
95-94 Fury
96-93 Fury
... and Ngannou landed harder shots and scored the only knockdown. How is that an easy win for Fury?
I've seen several of Ngannou's fights, and in pure athleticism, fluid movement, no, he's not Muhammed Ali in his prime, but of course, neither is Tyson Fury.
I'd compare Ngannou to classic boxer George Foreman. He's not the pinnacle of skills, but he's fast and athletic enough that you can't be confident to avoid his punches, and if he catches you flush, you're going down. So I can see Joshua going in as the favorite - he's a sharp boxer who knows his craft, but he'd better realize that he is playing with fire.
I don't think you're giving Ngannou enough credit, as you make it sound like the fight wasn't close, but it was a split decision:
95-94 Ngannou
95-94 Fury
96-93 Fury
... and Ngannou landed harder shots and scored the only knockdown. How is that an easy win for Fury?
I've seen several of Ngannou's fights, and in pure athleticism, fluid movement, no, he's not Muhammed Ali in his prime, but of course, neither is Tyson Fury.
I'd compare Ngannou to classic boxer George Foreman. He's not the pinnacle of skills, but he's fast and athletic enough that you can't be confident to avoid his punches, and if he catches you flush, you're going down. So I can see Joshua going in as the favorite - he's a sharp boxer who knows his craft, but he'd better realize that he is playing with fire.
You are right, I didn't see the fight, so I can't say. I will say if Fury was only fighting off his back foot, he made Ngannou's life insanely easier. We saw Fury come forward against Wilder and dominated, knocking him out twice. Again, if Fury never showed that side of his style, was it real fight? I read that narrative that "Fury was confused and didn't know how to come forward" but I don't buy that for one second either.
You are right, I didn't see the fight, so I can't say. I will say if Fury was only fighting off his back foot, he made Ngannou's life insanely easier. We saw Fury come forward against Wilder and dominated, knocking him out twice. Again, if Fury never showed that side of his style, was it real fight? I read that narrative that "Fury was confused and didn't know how to come forward" but I don't buy that for one second either.
It should be an interesting fight. When he fought Fury, many people were simply dismissing Ngannou. Not many are doing that this time. I do think Joshua deserves to be the favorite - he's got way more boxing experience, and he's had a distinguished career with many highlights. He'd better be alert at all times versus Ngannou though, or he will wake up with a flashlight scanning his eyes and the ring doctor asking him if he knows where he is :-).
Still I believe that fight with Fury was a setup. I watched the knockdown in slow motion and in real time, I believe that it was fake. Bottom line I believe that fight was a money grab.
Joshua should clean his clock. Joshua does have a glass jaw so Francis has a shot if Joshua gets stupid.
Congratulations to Joshua for his stunning 2nd round finish of Ngannou. This might put an end to Ngannou getting top ranked opponents, as he's now 0-2 and this was a crushing defeat.
But all things considered, he's had a good career, earning millions, and he really came from nothing - toiling in sand mines in Cameroon as a boy, imprisoned as an illegal migrant in Spain and living homeless in France while he began to train as a boxer. Life has been an amazing journey for him. Wish him the best going forward.
Another stupid $$$ grab instead of a real fight that fans deserve to watch. As previously stated, it's one thing to fight a guy who stays on his back foot the entire time, content to jab away, versus a real boxer coming forward to knock your face off. This was a farce, and yes I did watch it.
Last edited by westsideboy; 03-12-2024 at 01:54 PM..
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