ANTHONY JOSHUA DOMINATES FRANCIS NGANNOU – VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS, POST PRESSER & SOCIAL MEDIA REACTION
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (March 9th, 2024)– In the main event of a 10 bout card at Kingdom Arena, on Friday, March 8, 2024, former World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua knocked down former UFC Heavyweight champion Francis ‘The Predator’ Ngannou in the first round, again in the second round, and then landed an overhand right to send Ngannou down a second time in the second round, down and out on his back for good.
Before this bout, Joshua felt Ngannou was more of a gimmick fight for entertainment. “It is what it is. On the route to the championship, you remain focused. This was a sidestep to the mission. After I saw his fight with Tyson Fury, I said this guy can fight. I want a piece of that. This doesn’t take away from his capabilities. He can come again. He can do well. He’s two fights in and he’s fought the best. Always keep searching for better. I’m always pushing my peak, trying to do better. And if they do knock on my door (Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed world championship), let’s go.” noted Joshua.
Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn noted “Joshua told me if we beat Ngannou, we fight the winner of Tyson Fury versus Oleksandr Usyk (scheduled for May 18, 2024). Anthony Joshua is the best fighter in the world. He has always been in the gym. Anthony Joshua is the best heavyweight fighter in the world. This man is a savage beast, the best heavyweight in the world. I cannot wait for him to beat Tyson Fury.”
Ngannou, 17-3 with 12 knockouts MMA, and 0-2 as a pro boxer, Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Cameroon, started well with a crisp jab, then suddenly switched to southpaw while he was doing well. Joshua, 28-3 with 25 knockouts, Watford, United Kingdom, immediately timed him with his right hand and dropped him. Joshua timed Ngannou again and dropped him with the right hand, who beat the count but appeared unsure of himself. Joshua immediately timed Ngannou again and knocked him out flat on his back at referee Ricky Gonzalez waved the bout off without a count at 2:38 of the second round. Ngannou remained down for over a minute and received oxygen.
Joshua appeared to have taken his boxing game up one notch in preparation for this bout, and looked in peak physical condition. Once warmed up, he simply timed Ngannou, then knocked him out quickly, doing something Tyson Fury was unable to do. Ngannou started well. If he stuck with what was working, he probably would have done better. Ngannou’s switch to southpaw proved a foolish maneuver. Boxing is not MMA. You go with what works, and Ngannou varied from his 10 round 2023 script with Tyson Fury, and took unnecessary risks (in the view of this reporter) too soon in the high stakes mega bout.
In the preliminary bout to the main event, top rated heavyweight contender Joseph Parker survived two flash knockdowns to win a 12 round majority decision over Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang, and win the interim World Boxing Organisation World Heavyweight title. The two have a mandatory rematch clause and much fight each other next.
Parker, 35-3 with 23 knockouts, Morecambe, United Kingdom by way of New Zealand, a former WBO World Heavyweight champion, landed more punches and power shots overall to outwork the slower southpaw interim WBO Heavyweight champion Zhang, 26-2-1, 21 knockouts, Bloomfield, New Jersey.
Zhang has power, but his second flash knockdown of Parker appeared more an illegal punch to the back of the head. Parker landed good crisp power body shots. At 6’4″ and 247 pounds, Parker moved forward with good head and foot movement, not providing a stationary target, and did not allow the 6’6″ 291 pounds Zhang to plant his feet and get off the sort of power punches and combinations he needed. Zhang, who beat Joe Joyce twice, must not craft up a new game plan for his rematch with Parker, in a way Joyce could not, if the rematch outcome is to yield a better result.
Result: Joseph Parker Win 12 Zhilei Zhang, heavyweights
Parker wins World Boxing Organisation World Heavyweight title
Scoring: 115-11, 114-112 Parker. 113-113 draw.
Rey Vargas survived two controversial knockdowns to somehow salvage a split draw against challenger Nick Ball. Vargas, 36-1-1 with 22 knockouts, Otumba, Mexico, who had height and reach advantage, and looked like a tall and a slim featherweight version of Thomas Hearns, to retain the World Boxing Council Featherweight title over short stubborn Nick Ball, 19-0-1 with 11 knockouts, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Ball repeatedly manhandled and bullied Vargas, and threw him to the canvas after head wrestling and body grappling with him a number of times. In the eighth round, Ball threw Vargas down, then launched a punch as Vargas fell, inappropriately scored as a knockdown. Without that 10-8 round, Vargas would have deservedly won a 12 round split decision. This may have had an effect on the judges. Ball did score a legitimate flash knockdown of Vargas in the eleventh round. As it was, Vargas, who was the busier of the two, won on one scorecard 114-112. Another judge had it 116-110 Ball. A third judge had it 113-113 a draw.
Ball did pressure Vargas, particularly in the second half of the bout. Ball had Vargas hurt late in the seventh round, and had a chance to put him away, but did not. Despite scoring two flash knockdowns, Ball could not capitalize because Vargas appeared unhurt from them.
Result: Rey Vargas Majority Draw 12 Nick Ball, Featherweights
Vargas retains World Boxing Council World Featherweight title.
Scoring: 114-112 Vargas. 116-110 Ball. 113-113 draw. WBC Supervisor: Houlcine Houlchi
In a massive learning fight, rising Eddie Hearn heavyweight prospect Justis Huni, 9-0 with four knockouts, Brisbane, Australia, cracked the worldwide heavyweight top 20 rankings with a 10 round unanimous decision over former World Heavyweight Cruiserweight champion Kevin Lerena, whose mother tragically died the day before the bout began. Lerena, 30-3, 14 knockouts, Johannesburg, South Africa, had Juni hurt in the first and second rounds, and late in the tenth.
Hunt has a solid, well-toned frame, with height and rach advantage attributes. Huni did good bodywork, and southpaw Lerena countered with good head and body counter combinations. Huni appeared the busier fighter overall. Lerena appeared
Going into his corner before the final round, Lerena indicated to his trainer he was tired. Huni also appeared breathing heavily in his corner. When a big overhand left to the head cracked Huni, and had Huni staggering around the ring. Lerena unfortunately had nothing left to finish him. Huni won the vacant World Boxing Organisation Global Heavyweight regional title. Lerna is still a candidate to fight for the phantom WBC Bridgerweight title, so he has options.
Two judges scored the bout 96-94 Huni.
Real Combat Media scored the bout 96-95 Huni.
Result: Justis Huni Win 10 Kevin Lerena, Heavyweights
Huni wins vacant World Boxing Organisation Global Heavyweight title
Scoring: 96-94, 96-94, 98-92 for Huni.
Preliminary Bouts at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Andrii ‘Rampage’ Novytskyi KO 3 Juan Torres, Heavyweights (2:43)
In a scheduled eight round bout, 10-0 heavyweight prospect Novytskyi stopped the 11-6-1 Texan Torres, age 37, for first time. The shorter, pudgy Torres took an accumulation of head punches for Noytskyi because he was leaning back away from the blows, offering an open target. Torres went down on one knee and took the count in a corner, tired, frustrated, and out of gas. The record of Torres revealed he has only beaten one opponent with a winning record, Ron Guerrero, and had never fought an eight rounder or upper caliber opponent.
Roman Fury Win 4 Martin Svarc, Heavyweights
4-0 half-brother of Tyson Fury outworks Svarc. Referee Kieran McCann scores 39-37 Fury.
Ziyad Almaayouf Win 6 Christian Lopez Flores, Super Lightweights
In a preliminary showcase bout, 5-0 Saudi Arabian prospect Almaayouf wins every round but gets taken the distance by cagey 52 bout Mexican journeyman veteran Flores, who survived. Referee Kieran McCann scores 60-54 Almaayouf.
Louis Greene TKO 1 Jack McGann, Super Welterweights (1:29)
17-4 Greene, ‘The Medway Mauler’, passed the ‘test’ and exposed the record of previously undefeated Jack McGann, whose record includes an unimpressive draw with 4-18-1 Cameroon journeyman Emmanuel Moussinga. Greene came forward and opened the bout with a series of body shots. McGann was backed up, startled, never seen quite in the bout, and was throwing low straight lefts. Two counter rights came over the top from Greene. The second counter left buzzed the left thumb of McGann, hit McGann in the head, and sent the 9-0-1 McGann to the canvas in a corner, down and out. McGann beat the count, but the bout was immediately stopped. Greene, a former Commonwealth Boxing Council Super Welterweight champion, proved he was one class above McGann.
Mark Chamberlain TKO 4 Gavin Gwynne, Lightweights (2:46)
15-0 UK southpaw Chamberlain beat up Gwynne’s body on ropes. Gwynne’s right eye was swollen. Referee Howard Foster stopped it, and didn’t see Gwynne’s corner throw in towel.
Chamberlain wins vacant World Boxing Association Inter-Continental Lightweight title
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