13 January 2024 , 09:00
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Francis Ngannou has warned Eddie Hearn to prepare for a bad night after labelling him "easy money" for Anthony Joshua.
Former UFC champion Ngannou makes his second boxing appearance on March 8 when he fights Joshua in Saudi Arabia to close out Riyadh season. Ngannou put on a jaw-dropping performance in his ring debut against Tyson Fury last October as he dropped the lineal heavyweight champion and only lost by a point in a controversial decision.
Boxing fans were quick to theorise how Ngannou would fair against the likes of Joshua and Deontay Wilder after his back and forth fight with Fury. Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn, who promotes Joshua, has insisted that Ngannou doesn't have what it takes to match his fighter's skills in the ring.
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"Francis Ngannou against Anthony Joshua is one of the biggest fights in the history of the sport. I promise you this, respect to Francis, easy work for my man. I know the MMA world are getting a little bit high right now, walking in the clouds, but we’ll bring it right back down to reality," Hearn said on The MMA Hour.
Eddie Hearn opens talks for Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou heavyweight fight
Ngannou has now fired back at Hearn by saying: “Eddie is a promoter, that’s like a routine for me. It’s deja vu, he said the same thing all of the time just not about Francis Ngannou but about somebody else. That’s how he talks and what he does. The date is set, it’s two months from now and if any of them think it’s going to be easy money, too bad for them.
"I’m just a beginner improving. No one still knows what I can do. AJ is a very tough fighter, but he’s easier to send down than Fury, and it’s harder for him to get back up than Fury. If AJ takes the punch that Fury took, I don't guarantee that he is getting up. I have heard that he doesn't have a chin, I am going to find out."
Joshua was expected to fight Wilder after his win against Otto Wallin last month, but Wilder came up short when he lost to Joseph Parker at the same event. Ngannou has now taken Wilder's place to fight Joshua, who is unbeaten in three fights and is gunning for an undisputed heavyweight world title shot if he beats Ngannou.