Eddie Hearn's instant reaction to meeting Francis Ngannou for the first time

17 January 2024 , 10:47

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Eddie Hearn's instant reaction to meeting Francis Ngannou for the first time

Eddie Hearn was stunned by the sheer size of Francis Ngannou after meeting the former UFC champion for the first time.

Ngannou will take on Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia on March 8 following his impressive performance in defeat by Tyson Fury last year. The Cameroonian has a 40lb weight advantage over his rival - and Hearn, who promotes Joshua, made no attempt to hide his surprise at Ngannou's size.

"Francis Ngannou was talking, and I was looking at him thinking, 'Look at the size of your head, your neck!'," he said. "I actually turned to AJ and thought, 'Actually, you look like a middleweight compared to this guy. I mean it's the first time AJ has ever actually competed with anyone who is remotely the same in terms of frame and mass.

"We hear the stories about how strong he is, we hear the stories about how hard he can punch but I still find it difficult to subscribe to. I don't believe you can just stroll into the sport and just beat the elite. But he so nearly did it against what many regard as the best heavyweight in the world. So we take him very, very seriously. It's a fight full of jeopardy but one that if you use your brain, and use your skill and your speed, you should win."

Ngannou dropped Fury in their meeting before going on to lose a narrow points decision. And he said ahead of just his second professional boxing fight: "I’m going to come as an underdog to win the fight. I will get this done, I’m just a beginner. I will come out better and that’s how I see things. I prepared for a hard fight. The Fury fight is in the past and I will take this more serious than before because there’s more on the line, the undisputed.

Eddie Hearn opens talks for Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou heavyweight fight

“I will do something nobody has done before and I have the tools to do that. It will not be an easy fight, but a possible one (to win).” The Joshua-Ngannou fight will take place three weeks after Fury fights Oleksandr Usyk in the same city for the undisputed world heavyweight title.

Promoter Frank Warren said: “This is what boxing fans have been crying out for for years. We are in the golden age of boxing. Francis brought something to the ring that I never expected. He can be a handful on the inside, he put Tyson through his toughest fight for a long time.“I take my hat off to AJ (Joshua) for taking this fight. I think he’s in a tough fight and it will be knockout chaos.”

Martin Domin