Francis Ngannou weighs in 20lb heavier than Anthony Joshua for mega-fight

07 March 2024 , 16:59

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Francis Ngannou weighs in 20lb heavier than Anthony Joshua for mega-fight

Francis Ngannou will have a 20lb weight advantage when he takes on Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia on Friday night.

Ngannou will fight for just the second time as a professional boxer having dropped and almost stopped Tyson Fury on his debut last October. The former UFC champion will start as the betting underdog against Joshua but hope to impose his size advantage on the former two-time ruler.

After weighing in at 272.6lb compared to his rival's 252.4lb, Ngannou said: "I know we are going to fight in boxing rules, but what would happen if it was a fight in MMA rules? I would smoke those guys. I have learned a little bit from my last fight but the mindset is still the same. this is still my second boxing match, even though I am fighting two of the best guys in boxing."

Anthony Joshua faced off with Francis Ngannou for the last time

Joshua added: "How is everyone doing tonight in Saudi Arabia? That's the energy we're bringing tomorrow, you can feel that the energy is good. Sometimes when you bow your head, you make prayers and miracles do happen. God is good, he is working in my favour. I deliver, I'm the postman."

Joshua has strung together three wins in succession following back-to-back defeats by Oleksandr Usyk. Those losses appeared to have ended the 2012 Olympic champion's hopes of becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion but he is now in pole position to fight the winner of Usyk's clash with Fury in May.

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

But Joshua insists he has no interest in teasing the prospect of an all-British showdown with Fury, which has fallen through in recent years. "We’re not looking past this fight. This is my main focus. The incentive and all that stuff? Just the win, that’s it. Let’s focus on my game plan and what I’ve got to do," he insisted.

The former two-time world heavyweight champion is under no illusions of the task at hand despite Ngannou’s limited boxing experience but admitted he does feel the "pressure" to perform. Joshua added: "His dream was always to be a boxer, so I know what I am up against. I look at all these small details, but I spar, I do my film study, all that type of stuff, I keep it professional.

"On the night is on the night. That’s different. All that textbook stuff goes out the window and you just have to be relentless. Give my best. It is our duty. We work for these people out here, you know what I mean? These are the fights they want to see. We are here to entertain them, so I feel the pressure but that’s the life. That is what I signed up to do, what I devoted my life to do so bring on every challenge, every competition and I’ll step up to the plate.

"I’m going to share the ring with Francis. One day I’ll share the ring with Tyson. Last fight I shared the ring with (Otto) Wallin. I signed to fight Baby Miller, I sparred (Daniel) Dubois, I signed to fight the Bronze Bomber (Deontay Wilder), I’m serious about the game. This is just what we do. It is my duty to work for these guys and to give them entertaining nights."

Martin Domin