Tag: oleksandr usyk

Pound-for-pound: Did Isaac Cruz do enough against Rolando Romero to crack list?

Pound-for-pound: Did Isaac Cruz do enough against Rolando Romero to crack Boxing Junkie’s list?

Isaac Cruz made a strong impression with his eighth-round knockout of Rolando Romero on Saturday in Las Vegas.

But did the new 140-pound titleholder from Mexico do enough in that fight — and does he have the resume — to climb onto Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list?

Not quite.

Everyone agrees that Cruz is evolving into a formidable fighting machine, a pressure fighter with the fitness, durability and punching power to dominate opponents.

However, we shouldn’t overreact to a one-sided victory over Romero, a good, but limited fighter. And Cruz still doesn’t have a victory over a top-tier opponent, although he gave Gervonta Davis hell in defeat in 2021.

Bottom line: Cruz has to beat a pound-for-pounder or someone of that caliber to leave no doubt that he belongs with the best in the business.

And those matchups will come soon enough if Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) continues to win. Perhaps showdowns with the likes of fellow beltholders Devin Haney or Teofimo Lopez — or maybe even a rematch with Davis — are in his near future.

A victory over any of the above would be enough to lift Cruz to the next level. Stay tuned.

What about Sebastian Fundora?

The new 154-pound champ defeated rising star Tim Tszyu by a split decision in the main event on Saturday, an accomplishment for which Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs) deserves credit.

However, we can’t draw firm conclusions because Tszyu was effectively blinded by blood in his eyes, the result of a ghastly cut on his hairline. Plus, Fundora was knocked out by Brian Mendoza in his previous fight.

Fundora’s time might come, just not now.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – Scheduled to defend his 115-pound title against No. 11 Jesse Rodriguez on June 29 in Phoenix.
  6. Canelo Alvarez – Scheduled to face Jaime Munguia for the undisputed 168-pound championship on May 4 in Las Vegas.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – Scheduled to face No. 5 Juan Francisco Estrada for Estrada’s 115-pound title on June 29 in Phoenix.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– Reportedly near a deal to defend his 135-pound title against Artem Harutyunyan on July 6 in Newark, New Jersey.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (has agreed to fight 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June but no announcement has been made); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (reportedly near a deal to defend his 140-pound title against Steve Claggett on June 29 in Miami).

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Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: Date, time, how to watch, background

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: Date, time, how to watch, background.

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou on pay-per-view Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

ANTHONY JOSHUA (27-3, 24 KOs)
VS. FRANCIS NGANNOU (0-1, 0 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, March 8
  • Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Heavyweight (no limit)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Joshua 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ****
  • Also on the card: Zhilei Zhang vs. Joseph Parker, heavyweights; Rey Vargas vs. Nick Ball, featherweights (for Vargas’ WBC title); Gavin Gwynne vs. Mark Chamberlain, lightweights; Justis Huni vs. Kevin Lerena, heavyweights
  • Background: Can Ngannou do it again? The MMA star-turned-boxer shocked the boxing world by pushing heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury to his limits on Oct. 28, when he lost a split decision. And he’s jumping directly into another fight with an established star, two-time champion Joshua. Ngannou probably benefitted from the fact Fury took him lightly, which Joshua will not have done. However, Ngannou demonstrated that he’s a capable boxer with unusual physical strength. He’s a genuine threat to Joshua even though he’s around a 4-1 underdog. Joshua is coming off his strongest performances in years, demolishing a solid opponent in Otto Wallin in five rounds on Dec. 23 at Kingdom Arena. He has now won three consecutive times since he lost back-to-back fights against Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. And he seems to be thriving under new trainer Ben Davison. The winner of this fight will be in a strong position to face the winner of the May 18 Usyk-Fury matchup, as will the winner of the Zhilei Zhang-Joseph Parker fight on the undercard Friday. Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KOs) is coming off back-to-back knockouts of former title contender Joe Joyce last year. Parker (34-3, 23 KOs) delivered a career-changing unanimous decision victory over fellow former titleholder Deontay Wilder on the Joshua-Wallin card. The Kiwi has won four connective fights since he was stopped by Joyce in 11 rounds in 2022.

[lawrence-related id=41018,41015,40919,40890,40665]

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: Date, time, how to watch, background

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: Date, time, how to watch, background.

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou on pay-per-view Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

ANTHONY JOSHUA (27-3, 24 KOs)
VS. FRANCIS NGANNOU (0-1, 0 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, March 8
  • Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Heavyweight (no limit)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Joshua 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ****
  • Also on the card: Zhilei Zhang vs. Joseph Parker, heavyweights; Rey Vargas vs. Nick Ball, featherweights (for Vargas’ WBC title); Gavin Gwynne vs. Mark Chamberlain, lightweights; Justis Huni vs. Kevin Lerena, heavyweights
  • Background: Can Ngannou do it again? The MMA star-turned-boxer shocked the boxing world by pushing heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury to his limits on Oct. 28, when he lost a split decision. And he’s jumping directly into another fight with an established star, two-time champion Joshua. Ngannou probably benefitted from the fact Fury took him lightly, which Joshua will not have done. However, Ngannou demonstrated that he’s a capable boxer with unusual physical strength. He’s a genuine threat to Joshua even though he’s around a 4-1 underdog. Joshua is coming off his strongest performances in years, demolishing a solid opponent in Otto Wallin in five rounds on Dec. 23 at Kingdom Arena. He has now won three consecutive times since he lost back-to-back fights against Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. And he seems to be thriving under new trainer Ben Davison. The winner of this fight will be in a strong position to face the winner of the May 18 Usyk-Fury matchup, as will the winner of the Zhilei Zhang-Joseph Parker fight on the undercard Friday. Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KOs) is coming off back-to-back knockouts of former title contender Joe Joyce last year. Parker (34-3, 23 KOs) delivered a career-changing unanimous decision victory over fellow former titleholder Deontay Wilder on the Joshua-Wallin card. The Kiwi has won four connective fights since he was stopped by Joyce in 11 rounds in 2022.

[lawrence-related id=41018,41015,40919,40890,40665]

Pound-for-pound: Action will pick up in a big way beginning on April 20

Pound-for-pound: Action will pick up in a big way beginning on April 20

That’s crickets you’re hearing when it comes to the pound-for-pound scene.

None of the 20 fighter’s on Boxing Junkie’s list — Nos. 1-15 and five Honorable Mentions — is scheduled to step into the ring until April 20, when No. 10 Devin Haney will defend his 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas.

The action picks up in a big way at that point, however. Between April 20 and June 1 — a span of only five-plus weeks — seven pound-for-pounders are scheduled to fight.

They are No. 2 Naoya Inoue, No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk, No. 4 Dmitry Bivol, No. 9 Tyson Fury, Haney, No. 12 Artur Beterbiev and No. 14 Vasiliy Lomachenko (see below for details).

That number could grow. No. 6 Canelo Alvarez is expected to fight on May 4, although no opponent has been announced. And Honorable Mention David Benavidez is in talks to face 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June.

And who knows what other matchups involving the best of the best might emerge?

Yes, the lack of activity at the moment is disappointing. However, patience will pay dividends. The biggest stars in the sport are in the gym as you read this preparing to perform.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez – No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (has agreed to fight 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June but no deal is in place); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).

Pound-for-pound: Action will pick up in a big way beginning on April 20

Pound-for-pound: Action will pick up in a big way beginning on April 20

That’s crickets you’re hearing when it comes to the pound-for-pound scene.

None of the 20 fighter’s on Boxing Junkie’s list — Nos. 1-15 and five Honorable Mentions — is scheduled to step into the ring until April 20, when No. 10 Devin Haney will defend his 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas.

The action picks up in a big way at that point, however. Between April 20 and June 1 — a span of only five-plus weeks — seven pound-for-pounders are scheduled to fight.

They are No. 2 Naoya Inoue, No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk, No. 4 Dmitry Bivol, No. 9 Tyson Fury, Haney, No. 12 Artur Beterbiev and No. 14 Vasiliy Lomachenko (see below for details).

That number could grow. No. 6 Canelo Alvarez is expected to fight on May 4, although no opponent has been announced. And Honorable Mention David Benavidez is in talks to face 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June.

And who knows what other matchups involving the best of the best might emerge?

Yes, the lack of activity at the moment is disappointing. However, patience will pay dividends. The biggest stars in the sport are in the gym as you read this preparing to perform.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez – No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (has agreed to fight 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June but no deal is in place); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).

Could Anthony Joshua’s final run as an elite heavyweight be his best?

Could Anthony Joshua’s final run as an elite heavyweight be his best?

The best of Anthony Joshua might be in his future.

That concept might sound absurd to many who have followed his career. After all, he lost three of five fights between 2019 and 2022, which changed the way the two-time heavyweight champion is perceived by pundits and fans.

However, things might be aligning themselves favorably for a strong run – a final run, the 34-year-old said – that could restore much of the luster he lost.

Joshua is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou on pay-per-view Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. If he wins, he’ll keep a close eye on the May 18 fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed championship.

“I think we’ve got to see what happens … with the belts,” Joshua said last year, per The Independent. “Let them be competed for and then potentially let them go up in the air and then we’ll see where the belts land.

“Then just stay consistent, stay focused on improving for these next 12 to 16 months while I’m in title contention.”

Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) was the unquestioned top heavyweight after Wladimir Klitschko declined, with victories over Dillian Whyte, Charles Martin (to win his first belt), Klitschko and Joseph Parker.

Then disaster struck in 2019. He was dropped four times and stopped by Andy Ruiz in seven rounds to lose the undisputed championship, after which he suffered one of the sport’s great indignities: His mental toughness was questioned.

He bounced back to easily outpoint Ruiz and regain his belts six months later but he looked timid, which didn’t help his reputation.

Then, after he stopped an aging Kubrat Pulev, he lost back-to-back decisions against former cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Some believed he was finished as one of the top heavyweights at that point.

Maybe not.

First, he gave a strong performance in the second fight with Usyk. He looked prepared and determined, and he boxed well, which is why the fight couldn’t have been much closer. Usyk won a split decision by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 113-115.

Joshua didn’t fight with his past ferocity in his next two fights, a unanimous decision over Jermaine Franklin and a seventh-round knockout of Robert Helenius. However, the victories had him moving in the right direction.

And in his third fight, against Otto Wallin on Dec. 23, he delivered a vintage performance. He fought with the confidence he had pre-Ruiz, outclassed the solid Wallin with his formidable boxing skills and ended the fight in brutal fashion in the fifth round under new trainer Ben Davison.

It arguably was his best performance since he knocked out Alexander Povetkin in 2018.

“I’m on a journey, and I’m going to stay focused,” he said afterward. “I don’t celebrate when we win these fights. I celebrate when I win the titles.”

Also, his rivals seem to be more vulnerable than ever.

The big fight for him would be a showdown with countryman Tyson Fury, providing Fury gets past Usyk. Fury looked terrible in his meeting with Ngannou in October, going down in the third round but rallying to win a split decision.

If Fury has ever looked beatable, it’s now.

And if Usyk beats Fury? We’ll go back to the second Usyk-Joshua fight, which could’ve gone either way. And consider Usyk’s last fight, in which he went down and was hurt badly by a body shot but rallied to outpoint Daniel Dubois in the ninth round in August.

That performance and Joshua’s apparent resurgence would make a third fight between them fascinating.

Of course, Joshua has to beat Ngannou before moving on to a title shot. If he does, he’ll be first in line to fight for a title when the opportunity arises.

That could come against the May 18 winner, although Fury and Usyk could do it a second time. Joshua also will be in a strong position if a title opens up for any other reason. One or more sanctioning bodies could strip their champion, fighters get injured, they retire. Who knows?

The former champion’s job is what he said it is, “stay consistent, stay focused.” If he can do that and continue to have his hand raised, he should get the opportunity to prove he’s as good as we used to think he was.

[lawrence-related id=40665,40495,40488,40436,40396,40332]

Could Anthony Joshua’s final run as an elite heavyweight be his best?

Could Anthony Joshua’s final run as an elite heavyweight be his best?

The best of Anthony Joshua might be in his future.

That concept might sound absurd to many who have followed his career. After all, he lost three of five fights between 2019 and 2022, which changed the way the two-time heavyweight champion is perceived by pundits and fans.

However, things might be aligning themselves favorably for a strong run – a final run, the 34-year-old said – that could restore much of the luster he lost.

Joshua is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou on pay-per-view Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. If he wins, he’ll keep a close eye on the May 18 fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed championship.

“I think we’ve got to see what happens … with the belts,” Joshua said last year, per The Independent. “Let them be competed for and then potentially let them go up in the air and then we’ll see where the belts land.

“Then just stay consistent, stay focused on improving for these next 12 to 16 months while I’m in title contention.”

Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) was the unquestioned top heavyweight after Wladimir Klitschko declined, with victories over Dillian Whyte, Charles Martin (to win his first belt), Klitschko and Joseph Parker.

Then disaster struck in 2019. He was dropped four times and stopped by Andy Ruiz in seven rounds to lose the undisputed championship, after which he suffered one of the sport’s great indignities: His mental toughness was questioned.

He bounced back to easily outpoint Ruiz and regain his belts six months later but he looked timid, which didn’t help his reputation.

Then, after he stopped an aging Kubrat Pulev, he lost back-to-back decisions against former cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Some believed he was finished as one of the top heavyweights at that point.

Maybe not.

First, he gave a strong performance in the second fight with Usyk. He looked prepared and determined, and he boxed well, which is why the fight couldn’t have been much closer. Usyk won a split decision by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 113-115.

Joshua didn’t fight with his past ferocity in his next two fights, a unanimous decision over Jermaine Franklin and a seventh-round knockout of Robert Helenius. However, the victories had him moving in the right direction.

And in his third fight, against Otto Wallin on Dec. 23, he delivered a vintage performance. He fought with the confidence he had pre-Ruiz, outclassed the solid Wallin with his formidable boxing skills and ended the fight in brutal fashion in the fifth round under new trainer Ben Davison.

It arguably was his best performance since he knocked out Alexander Povetkin in 2018.

“I’m on a journey, and I’m going to stay focused,” he said afterward. “I don’t celebrate when we win these fights. I celebrate when I win the titles.”

Also, his rivals seem to be more vulnerable than ever.

The big fight for him would be a showdown with countryman Tyson Fury, providing Fury gets past Usyk. Fury looked terrible in his meeting with Ngannou in October, going down in the third round but rallying to win a split decision.

If Fury has ever looked beatable, it’s now.

And if Usyk beats Fury? We’ll go back to the second Usyk-Joshua fight, which could’ve gone either way. And consider Usyk’s last fight, in which he went down and was hurt badly by a body shot but rallied to outpoint Daniel Dubois in the ninth round in August.

That performance and Joshua’s apparent resurgence would make a third fight between them fascinating.

Of course, Joshua has to beat Ngannou before moving on to a title shot. If he does, he’ll be first in line to fight for a title when the opportunity arises.

That could come against the May 18 winner, although Fury and Usyk could do it a second time. Joshua also will be in a strong position if a title opens up for any other reason. One or more sanctioning bodies could strip their champion, fighters get injured, they retire. Who knows?

The former champion’s job is what he said it is, “stay consistent, stay focused.” If he can do that and continue to have his hand raised, he should get the opportunity to prove he’s as good as we used to think he was.

[lawrence-related id=40665,40495,40488,40436,40396,40332]

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: 5 questions (and answers) going into the fight

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: 5 questions (and answers) going into the fight on March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Anthony Joshua has taken part in many big fights, including one against Wladimir Klitschko, a rematch with conqueror Andy Ruiz Jr. and two against Oleksandr Usyk.

The former two-time champion’s fight on March 8 is his most unusual.

Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou (0-1) on pay-per-view from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Ngannou put Tyson Fury down and nearly upset him in his boxing debut in October.

There are many questions going into Joshua-Ngannou. Here are five of them.

Is Ngannou for real?

Yes. I’m convinced that Fury’s surprisingly weak effort against him was more the result of his lack of preparation – physically and mentally – than the MMA star’s boxing ability. Fury thought he could beat Ngannou with his eyes closed and one hand tied behind his back. That attitude almost resulted in a shocking loss against an opponent with no professional boxing experience. However, the fact is Ngannou deserves credit for his performance. He has respectable skills, the result of natural ability and work on boxing fundamentals early in his combat sports career. And no one will second guess his punching power. He looked like he belonged in the ring with arguably the best heavyweight in the world even though he lost a split decision. That was no illusion. Ngannou certainly isn’t the boxer Fury or Oleksandr Usyk are but he knows his way around the boxing ring and isn’t fazed by significant challenges.

 

Can Joshua become a three-time champ?

Absolutely. The 34-year-old hasn’t been the same dominating force since he was knocked out by Ruiz in 2019, when he lost his titles by failing to make it out of the seventh round in one of the sport’s greatest upsets. He outpointed Ruiz to regain his titles in a rematch but looked timid. Then, after stopping Kubrat Pulev, he lost back-to-back fights against Usyk in 2021 and 2022. He might have already hit his ceiling as a fighter. At the same time, he gave a good effort in the second fight with Usyk, losing a split decision that could’ve gone either way. He demonstrated in that fight that he has more to give. And he’s coming off back-to-back knockouts of Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin that were reminiscent of the old Joshua. He looked particularly good against Wallin, evidence that he’s thriving under new coach Ben Davison. I think this version of Joshua could compete with any heavyweight in the world.

 

Who is going to win?

Joshua, of course. Ngannou will never again take a genuine boxer by surprise. Joshua knows what he’s up against and appears to have prepared accordingly, meaning he should be at his best. Ngannou will fight with the same spirit of his surprising effort against Fury but that won’t be enough in this fight, which is how the oddsmakers see it: Joshua is about a 4-1 favorite. The former two-time champion will keep Ngannou at the end of his jab, pick him apart with power shots from a safe distance, wear Ngannou down and win either by a late knockout or one-sided decision. Of course, at the risk of sounding wishy washy, I put nothing past Ngannou after his performance against Fury. I think he’s a natural boxer with supreme confidence who is capable of anything on the right night. I just don’t think this is that night.

 

What’s next for the winner?

That depends on what happens on March 8 and in the May 18 showdown between Fury and Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship. The Joshua-Ngannou winner almost certainly will pursue a fight with the winner of Fury-Usyk. The problem is that there’s a good chance Fury and Usyk will engage in more than one fight, which would leave all contenders in a waiting mode unless the sanctioning bodies strip one or both of titles. And, of course, if Joshua-Ngannou is close, they could do it again. Other viable options for the Joshua-Ngannou winner is the winner of the Zhilei Zhang-Joseph Parker fight on the March 8 card, as well as former champion Deontay Wilder and Filip Hrgovic. Bottom line: Whomever has his hand raised after the Joshua-Ngannou fight will be in position to get an even bigger opportunity in the near future.

 

What if Joshua loses?

That would be devastating for him, especially if Ngannou wins convincingly. Joshua has already had to battle back from two downturns, his shocking upset loss against Ruiz and the two losses against Usyk. He had a 2-3 record from 2019 to 2022, which sullied his reputation. Another setback – particularly against an opponent taking part in only his second professional bout – might cause irreparable damage. If he loses a close fight, he might get the chance to turn the tables in a rematch. That could keep his career as an elite fighter alive. If Ngannou wins handily, Joshua might not be able to recover. In fact, he might not want start the rebuilding process again if he loses. He’s already a two-time champion and evidently in good shape financially. Why go through the indignity of getting back in line? Indeed, Joshua might be fighting for his boxing life against Ngannou on March 8.

[lawrence-related id=40665,40495,40488,40436,40396,40391]

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: 5 questions (and answers) going into the fight

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: 5 questions (and answers) going into the fight on March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Anthony Joshua has taken part in many big fights, including one against Wladimir Klitschko, a rematch with conqueror Andy Ruiz Jr. and two against Oleksandr Usyk.

The former two-time champion’s fight on March 8 is his most unusual.

Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou (0-1) on pay-per-view from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Ngannou put Tyson Fury down and nearly upset him in his boxing debut in October.

There are many questions going into Joshua-Ngannou. Here are five of them.

Is Ngannou for real?

Yes. I’m convinced that Fury’s surprisingly weak effort against him was more the result of his lack of preparation – physically and mentally – than the MMA star’s boxing ability. Fury thought he could beat Ngannou with his eyes closed and one hand tied behind his back. That attitude almost resulted in a shocking loss against an opponent with no professional boxing experience. However, the fact is Ngannou deserves credit for his performance. He has respectable skills, the result of natural ability and work on boxing fundamentals early in his combat sports career. And no one will second guess his punching power. He looked like he belonged in the ring with arguably the best heavyweight in the world even though he lost a split decision. That was no illusion. Ngannou certainly isn’t the boxer Fury or Oleksandr Usyk are but he knows his way around the boxing ring and isn’t fazed by significant challenges.

 

Can Joshua become a three-time champ?

Absolutely. The 34-year-old hasn’t been the same dominating force since he was knocked out by Ruiz in 2019, when he lost his titles by failing to make it out of the seventh round in one of the sport’s greatest upsets. He outpointed Ruiz to regain his titles in a rematch but looked timid. Then, after stopping Kubrat Pulev, he lost back-to-back fights against Usyk in 2021 and 2022. He might have already hit his ceiling as a fighter. At the same time, he gave a good effort in the second fight with Usyk, losing a split decision that could’ve gone either way. He demonstrated in that fight that he has more to give. And he’s coming off back-to-back knockouts of Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin that were reminiscent of the old Joshua. He looked particularly good against Wallin, evidence that he’s thriving under new coach Ben Davison. I think this version of Joshua could compete with any heavyweight in the world.

 

Who is going to win?

Joshua, of course. Ngannou will never again take a genuine boxer by surprise. Joshua knows what he’s up against and appears to have prepared accordingly, meaning he should be at his best. Ngannou will fight with the same spirit of his surprising effort against Fury but that won’t be enough in this fight, which is how the oddsmakers see it: Joshua is about a 4-1 favorite. The former two-time champion will keep Ngannou at the end of his jab, pick him apart with power shots from a safe distance, wear Ngannou down and win either by a late knockout or one-sided decision. Of course, at the risk of sounding wishy washy, I put nothing past Ngannou after his performance against Fury. I think he’s a natural boxer with supreme confidence who is capable of anything on the right night. I just don’t think this is that night.

 

What’s next for the winner?

That depends on what happens on March 8 and in the May 18 showdown between Fury and Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship. The Joshua-Ngannou winner almost certainly will pursue a fight with the winner of Fury-Usyk. The problem is that there’s a good chance Fury and Usyk will engage in more than one fight, which would leave all contenders in a waiting mode unless the sanctioning bodies strip one or both of titles. And, of course, if Joshua-Ngannou is close, they could do it again. Other viable options for the Joshua-Ngannou winner is the winner of the Zhilei Zhang-Joseph Parker fight on the March 8 card, as well as former champion Deontay Wilder and Filip Hrgovic. Bottom line: Whomever has his hand raised after the Joshua-Ngannou fight will be in position to get an even bigger opportunity in the near future.

 

What if Joshua loses?

That would be devastating for him, especially if Ngannou wins convincingly. Joshua has already had to battle back from two downturns, his shocking upset loss against Ruiz and the two losses against Usyk. He had a 2-3 record from 2019 to 2022, which sullied his reputation. Another setback – particularly against an opponent taking part in only his second professional bout – might cause irreparable damage. If he loses a close fight, he might get the chance to turn the tables in a rematch. That could keep his career as an elite fighter alive. If Ngannou wins handily, Joshua might not be able to recover. In fact, he might not want start the rebuilding process again if he loses. He’s already a two-time champion and evidently in good shape financially. Why go through the indignity of getting back in line? Indeed, Joshua might be fighting for his boxing life against Ngannou on March 8.

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Fight Week: It’s Anthony Joshua’s turn to tangle with Francis Ngannou

Fight Week: It’s Anthony Joshua’s turn to tangle with Francis Ngannou on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.

FIGHT WEEK

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is scheduled to face MMA star-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou on pay-per-view Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

ANTHONY JOSHUA (27-3, 24 KOs)
VS. FRANCIS NGANNOU (0-1, 0 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, March 8
  • Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Heavyweight (no limit)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Joshua 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ****
  • Also on the card: Zhilei Zhang vs. Joseph Parker, heavyweights; Rey Vargas vs. Nick Ball, featherweights (for Vargas’ WBC title); Gavin Gwynne vs. Mark Chamberlain, lightweights; Justis Huni vs. Kevin Lerena, heavyweights
  • Background: Can Ngannou do it again? The MMA star-turned-boxer shocked the boxing world by pushing heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury to his limits on Oct. 28, when he lost a split decision. And he’s jumping directly into another fight with an established star, two-time champion Joshua. Ngannou probably benefitted from the fact Fury took him lightly, which Joshua will not have done. However, Ngannou demonstrated that he’s a capable boxer with unusual physical strength. He’s a genuine threat to Joshua even though he’s around a 4-1 underdog. Joshua is coming off his strongest performances in years, demolishing a solid opponent in Otto Wallin in five rounds on Dec. 23 at Kingdom Arena. He has now won three consecutive times since he lost back-to-back fights against Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. And he seems to be thriving under new trainer Ben Davison. The winner of this fight will be in a strong position to face the winner of the May 18 Usyk-Fury matchup, as will the winner of the Zhilei Zhang-Joseph Parker fight on the undercard Friday. Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KOs) is coming off back-to-back knockouts of former title contender Joe Joyce last year. Parker (34-3, 23 KOs) delivered a career-changing unanimous decision victory over fellow former titleholder Deontay Wilder on the Joshua-Wallin card. The Kiwi has won four connective fights since he was stopped by Joyce in 11 rounds in 2022.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

  • Steven Butler vs. Steve Rolls, middleweights, Montreal (ESPN+)
  • Ariel Lopez vs. Gregorio Lebron, featherweights, New Yok (Boxinginsider.com)

SATURDAY

  • Azael Villar vs. Jairo Noriega, junior flyweights, Managua, Nicaragua (ESPN+)