By Thomas Hauser
IN THE wee small hours of the morning in Saudi Arabia on March 9, Anthony Joshua restored a few of boxing’s misplaced honour when he knocked out Francis Ngannou in the second spherical. Nothing in boxing comes simply, however ‘AJ’ made it look that approach.
Ngannou (a 37-year-old UFC veteran) acquitted himself properly in dropping a split-decision in his boxing debut in opposition to an undertrained, out-of-shape Tyson Fury on October 28 of final 12 months. Against Joshua, he appeared like the novice that he’s.
March 8 (which was when the nine-hour fight-card started) was initially on maintain for Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder. But Wilder turned in a dreadful efficiency in dropping a lopsided choice to Joseph Parker in Riyadh on December 23, and the numbers for Joshua-Wilder not added up. In at present’s world the place “trash boxing” is usually taken as severely as the actual factor, Joshua-Ngannou was the logical subsequent step for AJ. And it was a better task for him than Joshua-Wilder would have been.
Joshua-Ngannou was scheduled for Friday in order to not battle with the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix which was happening in Jeddah on Saturday. Joshua sounded a philosophical observe at the January 15 kick-off press convention when he informed the media, “This fight is my everything, my soul, my spirit, my mind, my body. We’ll see where it leads me. I’m just searching for greatness; continuously searching for how to elevate myself, push forward in every aspect of my game. This is just another challenge and during each challenge I find out so much about myself. Even though I already know who I am, I know I am going to discover new things about myself and things that can take me to new heights.”
Later, AJ declared that Joshua-Ngannou was “the biggest challenge of my life,” which one assumes was promotional hype moderately than an indication of illogical pondering.
Former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis weighed in on the proceedings in a social media submit throughout the build-up to the festivities, stating, “Ngannou’s fight @Tyson Fury was a spectacle. The fight with AJ is also a spectacle. Hats off to Ngannou for making the most of his opportunities. He’s done nothing wrong. This is just the HW division in the year 2024. This fight adds ZERO credibility to AJ’s resume. He’s supposed to win this fight. And when he does, what does he gain or learn by beating someone in his second HW fight? If he loses, it’s an absolute disaster. The same stood for Fury and it almost cost him everything. I’ll break it down like the boxing fan I am. If AJ beats Ngannou, which he should, does that elevate him to a shot at undisputed? Beating Wallin & Ngannou? There’s a much better case for the winner of #ParkerZhang.”
And Jim Lampley (who would offer stay commentary for the bout on PPV.com) supplied this pre-fight evaluation: “Joshua vs Ngannou is the fight which should tell us whether the surprising result of Fury vs Ngannou was more about a surprisingly good Ngannou or a surprisingly bad Fury. If Fury’s inability to master a decided underdog was caused by negligent training, inattention to detail, taking an MMA-origin opponent lightly, then an alert, attentive, trained and ready Joshua should handle that opponent with relative ease and re-establish that boxing is a different craft than the craft through which Ngannou earned his identity. My guess is Ngannou’s showing against Fury has created an incentive which will re-light Joshua’s fire, just what he needs after two losses to Oleksandr Usyk.”
Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou (Stephen Dunkley/Queensberry)
The many boxing legends who journeyed to Riyadh for Fury-Ngannou had been largely absent from Joshua-Ngannou, presumably as a result of, this time, the Saudi authorities didn’t pay them to return. His Excellency Turki Alalshikh (the architect of Saudi Arabia’s boxing program) was praised repeatedly at fight-related occasions the approach that Don King and Al Hayman as soon as had been.
Tyson Fury was on website, seemingly relaxed and in higher form 10 weeks earlier than his upcoming bout in opposition to Oleksandr Usyk than he had been on combat night time for Fury-Ngannou.
There had been 9 fights on the undercard of Joshua-Ngannou, the most vital of which was Zhilei Zhang vs. Joseph Parker. Zhang as soon as misplaced a call to Filip Hrgovic and was held to a draw by Jerry Forrest however fought his approach again into competition by knocking out Joe Joyce twice final 12 months. Parker moved again into the heavyweight highlight this previous December by advantage of his upset victory over Wilder.
Zhang was a 2/1 favourite and, regardless of knocking Parker down twice, appeared abnormal. He’s 40 years outdated however in some methods nonetheless fights like an newbie. Against Parker, Zhang by no means used his 6ft 6ins, 290-pound bulk to lean on, shake, or in any other case tire his foe. He pawed along with his jab and, after eight rounds, was gulping for air as if Saudi Arabia had been at excessive altitude. In spherical 12 of what was clearly a detailed combat, Zhang landed zero punches. Parker gained a 115-111, 114-112, 113-113 majority choice. The two males have a rematch clause for a combat that only a few folks wish to see once more.
Joseph Parker goals a proper hand at Zhilei Zhang throughout their heavyweight combat in Saudi Arabia (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
As for Joshua-Ngannou…
The oddsmakers had put in AJ as a 7/2 betting favourite. Those odds appeared quick however Fury-Ngannou was on folks’s minds. In that regard, Ben Davison (AJ’s fourth coach in his final 5 fights) famous, “Nobody knew what to expect last time. Everybody, being honest, was slightly dismissive.”
Unlike Fury, Joshua educated severely for Ngannou. He got here into the combat at a well-conditioned 252 kilos (20 kilos lower than the equally-sculpted Ngannou).
Prior to the combat, Ngannou had mentioned that he was ready to go 10 laborious rounds. This one lasted lower than two. The distinction between a champion boxer and a combined martial arts competitor was shortly obvious.
Ngannou is an enormous puncher by MMA requirements however not by boxing requirements. With his fists, Joshua mentioned to him, “You think you have power. I’ll show you what real power is.”
Francis fought like the novice he nonetheless is, leaving his left hand too far out and too low, which uncovered him to proper fingers (AJ’s energy punch). Joshua knocked him down 3 times, the last time rendering him unconscious.
Good for AJ. And disgrace on Tyson Fury.
Anthony Joshua knocks out Francis Ngannou in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
What comes subsequent in the heavyweight division?
Fury and Usyk are scheduled to do battle in Riyadh on May 18 for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world. There’s a bilateral rematch clause in place, so it’s probably that Fury-Usyk II (or Usyk-Fury II) will comply with. When the mud settles, Fury-Joshua is a powerful risk. And Deontay Wilder may work his approach again into the combine.
The bigger query is what path Saudi Arabia’s boxing program will comply with.
When Turki Alalshikh expressed his love for boxing and cited Roberto Duran and Larry Holmes as two of his favourite fighters, purists had been impressed. But contemplate what has occurred in Saudi Arabia throughout the previous 13 months. On October 28, 2023, Tyson Fury eked out a call over Ngannou in Riyadh, whereas December 23 noticed a return to extra conventional fights with a card headlined by Joshua and Wilder in separate bouts. But after that, it was again to “trash-boxing” with Joshua-Ngannou as the headline attraction.
Looking forward, Fury-Usyk and Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol (two vital fights) are scheduled. But if, as rumoured, a long-past-his-prime Manny Pacquiao (who hasn’t gained a combat since 2019) returns to the ring in Saudi Arabia in opposition to Conor Benn (who as of this writing is with out a license to combat in his personal homeland and has unresolved PED points with the British Boxing Board of Control and UKAD), it gained’t do boxing any favours and will likely be removed from the greatest that cash can purchase.
Also, Turki Alalshikh has spoken overtly of getting severe well being points that he has prompt are life-threatening. If he steps apart, will Saudi Arabia’s dedication to boxing proceed with out his ardour and path? Or will the Saudi Arabian goose cease laying golden eggs?
Thomas Hauser’s e-mail handle is thomashauserwriter@gmail.com. His subsequent e book – MY MOTHER and me” is a private memoir that will likely be revealed by Admission Press this spring and is available for pre-order at Amazon.com.
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