It has been confirmed that contracts are signed and official for a boxing match between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou. This will be a 10-round boxing fight booked for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Mar. 9.
Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou
The news was announced on Twitter by Ariel Helwani and Turki Alalshikh, a Saudi royal advisor. Details were not yet immediately available, a press conference for Jan. 15 was set to add further clarification on this bout. Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie later added this match is booked for Mar. 9 in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh.
The UK-born Joshua has spent a near lifetime in boxing. In 2012, he captured an Olympic gold medal in London in the super heavyweight division. Shortly after, Joshua turned pro in 2013 and went on an impressive 22-fight unbeaten streak. Along the way, he earned the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBF heavyweight world championships.
Since 2019, the professional boxer has put together a record of 5-3 – one loss to Andy Ruiz Jr., which he avenged, and two losses to heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk. Currently, the 34-year-old athlete is on a three-fight unbeaten streak with the most recent fight being a stoppage victory over Otto Wallin.
The Cameroon native Ngannou worked in a sand mine as a child and would eventually leave home, crossing Africa, to seek a new life in Europe. After being homeless in Paris, France, he began a career in combat sports with dreams of being a professional boxer.
Ngannou turned to MMA in which he would eventually earn the UFC heavyweight title. Additionally, he in noted for his thunderous punching power, having won 70 percent of his fights by way of knockout. After contract disputes in 2022, Ngannou vacated his UFC title to test free agency. He eventually signed an MMA contract with the Professional Fighters League, but he set his sights on a career in boxing.
In late 2022, Ngannou found himself facing heavyweight king Tyson Fury, in Saudi Arabia. It was a professional boxing bout with no titles on the line. After ten rounds, Ngannou was able to score a knockdown en route to a split decision loss. With a career in MMA and no fights in boxing, the 37-year-old Ngannou exceeded all expectations.
In 2024, Joshua and Ngannou will face off in a 10-round boxing match hosted in Saudi Arabia.