When Francis Ngannou fought Tyson Fury very few including myself thought he had a chance. To the whole world’s surprise, Ngannou knocked Fury down and to a lot of people won the fight. The consensus amongst many fight fans was that Ngannou was robbed. The fact that this is even a debate is a testament to how impressive the former UFC heavyweight champion‘ performance was.
On the 8th of March Ngannou faces former unified champion Anthony Joshua in his second pro boxing bout. Naturally, Joshua is the favourite in the contest but after Ngannou’s boxing debut, there is some intrigue.
Stylistically AJ presents an easier fight for Ngannou than Fury. Yet the Cameroonian still gave the Gypsy King the fight of his life. With his second pro boxing bout in coming up, I look out at how Francis Ngannou can beat Anthony Joshua.
Slug it out
Admittedly not the wisest option when fighting a puncher like Anthony Joshua but Ngannou has the power to match anyone. One criticism of AJ is that he is afraid of what is coming back in his direction in the ring. Whereas Ngannou has shown little to no fear or hesitation in his career. In the Octagon there’s been occasions where Ngannou has thrown caution to the wind.
Embed from Getty ImagesOne example where this was more than evident was his first-round KO of Jairzinho Rozenstruik. A little over 15 seconds into the fight Ngannou threw wild haymakers at Rozenstriuk which ended in a first-round KO for the Predator.
Whilst Anthony Joshua looked a lot better in his last fight it’s unlikely that he would want to go toe to toe with the Predator. If Ngannou fights on the outside and looks to land the right hand he may bring out the defensive AJ. However, after Joshua’s last performance, he will be extremely confident which could be his undoing.
Fight as a Southpaw
One of Ngannou’s biggest strengths as a fighter is his ambidexterity. The predator’s ability to KO you with either hand is a huge bonus. Ngannou has shown an ability to fight as a southpaw whether it be in MMA or boxing.
Due to the freedom of mixed martial arts fighters will quite often switch stances. Fighters such as Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman will frequently switch stances in the middle of fights.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn boxing, however, switching stances is a rarity. The likes of Terence Crawford, Tyson Fury and Jaron Ennis switch but these types of fighters are few and far between. Traditional boxers hate going against Southpaws or against fighters that can switch.
The angles change and they make it difficult to land anything clean. Ngannou has switch-hitting tendencies and this could present a huge challenge for AJ. Joshua has already admitted that he hates going against Southpaws so this could present an opening for the former UFC heavyweight champion.
Francis Ngannou’s power is already legendary. If he mixes his switch-hitting ability with his ability to shut the lights then it could be a rough night for AJ.
Use your size
Both Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou are seen as huge heavyweights. Both are in peak physical condition and have the physique of a heavyweight champion. The pair have never been physically bullied in a fight simply because they are too physically imposing.
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Tyson Fury is a man who is synonymous with bullying his opponents but ran into trouble against Francis Ngannou. Physically Fury was unable to move Ngannou and was unable to deploy his usual tactics.
Embed from Getty ImagesAnthony Joshua is one man who is almost as physically imposing as Ngannou. That said the Cameroonian fighter’s strength mostly comes from his childhood.
As many know the Predator dug sandpits as a child which is where his strength comes from. This is evident when you look at the shape that Ngannou is in and this is why he was able to bully Fury.
It’s unlikely that Ngannou will bully Joshua the same way but he could play on the stamina issues of the Brit. The former UFC champion has similar cardio issues but he has shown an ability to battle through it. If the MMA fighter turned boxer can tire AJ out then there could be a clear root to victory.
Image Credit: Deposit Photos