Anthony Joshua might be combating former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a ten spherical boxing in Saudi Arabia. Eddie Hearn confirms Joshua vs. Ngannou is a achieved deal, and there’s a press convention scheduled for January fifteenth to debate the combat.
This transfer by Hearn & his Matchroom firm received’t please boxing followers, as Ngannou (0-1) misplaced his final combat, and he’s failing his approach into the combat with Joshua, and simply getting the match primarily based on his reputation as a MMA fighter, not due to what he’s achieved in boxing, which is nothing apart from shedding to flabby, out of practice 35-year-old Tyson Fury final October.
Exhibition or legit?
In Hearn’s submit on social media asserting the Joshua-Ngannou, he didn’t say whether or not it’ll be an exhibition for an actual combat. Usually, commissions received’t sanction fights between vastly skilled former world champions and fighters simply beginning out at 0-1.
Positive, Ngannou has fought in MMA, which is a type of fight sports activities, however that’s not boxing. If the commissions refuse to sanction the Joshua vs. Ngannou, will the organizers make an exhibition or hunt for an obscure fee that may sanction the combat?
Ngannou’s combat with Tyson Fury was sanctioned final October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in order that doubtless implies that the fee will do the identical for the Joshua-Ngannou combat.
It doubtless doesn’t matter if Joshua loses the combat to Ngannou. He’ll nonetheless get the title shot in opposition to the winner of the second conflict between WBC heavyweight champion Fury and IBF, WBA & WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk in December.
That is extra about cash & movie star than sport with these fights. Ngannou doesn’t should be combating Joshua, and AJ received’t charge a title shot if he someway loses to Francis.
Some would argue the Joshua vs. Ngannou combat debases the game, particularly if it’s sanctioned and made a authentic combat. When you’ve gotten a 0-1 fighter coming off a loss combating a former two-time heavyweight champion and a 2012 Olympic gold medalist, that’s simply flawed.
Tonight we affirm it’s a Completed Deal! @anthonyjoshua v @francis_ngannou collide on an enormous night time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – press convention Jan 15 in London with full particulars dropping quickly!#JoshuaNgannou @Turki_alalshikh @MatchroomBoxing @Queensberry #RiyadhSeason 🇸🇦
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) January 5, 2024
Ngannou going for the cash
“I heard Dana White say one thing about, ‘These MMA fighters don’t make extra money in boxing,’ and all I can do is snort,” stated Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions to Fighthype, reacting to the information of the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou combat being a achieved deal for Saudi Arabia to happen subsequent in a boxing match.
“Are you kidding me? Why do you suppose MMA fighters are going into boxing and crossing over? For the payday. That’s it, that’s the underside line, and to check them, which is admirable as a result of an MMA fighter going into the ring to face an elite fighter not solely takes braveness, however it’s important to imagine in your self and your ability. That’s admirable,” stated De La Hoya.
This might create a tidal wave of MMA fighters following Ngannou’s path to return over to boxing, trying to make large cash in crossover fights, the grasping promoters will conform to do.
What’s unhappy is that the actual boxers are getting pushed apart in favor of the non-boxers coming over in fights that usually aren’t aggressive.
The one Ngannou did nicely in opposition to the 35-year-old Tyson Fury final October is as a result of he was previous and out of practice, and his combating type has changed into a mauling, wrestling sort since teaming up with SugarHill Steward a number of years in the past.
It was the proper type for Ngannou to do nicely in opposition to. Joshua doesn’t combat like that, and neither do many of the top-tier heavyweights, so this combat is more likely to be a mismatch.
“However when Dana White says they’re not making extra money,” stated De La Hoya. “Bull. They’re making tons of cash contained in the ring in boxing. That’s the underside line. That’s why you’re seeing Joshua with Ngannou. That’s why you’re seeing this different child with pink hair calling out. These guys are warriors, man. Calling out guys like that. It takes braveness.
“I’m glad for them. Make all the cash. Come to our aspect of the road and make the actual cash,” stated De La Hoya.
