Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou will collide in ‘Knockout Chaos’ on Friday night in Saudi Arabia.
Since back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua has been on a steady rebuild, beating Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin with each win more impressive than the last.
The two-time heavyweight champion will be fighting for the fourth time in less than a year when he takes on former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou. The Cameroonian only made his boxing debut last October but stunned the world when he sent Tyson Fury crashing to the canvas in the third round of their fight.
While Fury walked away as the winner via a controversial split decision, the performance solidified Ngannou’s status as a legitimate threat in heavyweight boxing.
Here is all you need to know ahead of fight night, including the UK start time and how to watch on TV and live stream…
Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou date and UK start time
Joshua vs Ngannou takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Friday 8 March. Ringwalks for the main event are expected to take place at around 11pm. As ever, that is subject to change depending on how undercard fights unfold.
The event itself kicks off at 5pm.
How to watch Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou fight on TV and live stream
Joshua vs Ngannou will be broadcast live on both DAZN and Sky Sports Box Office.
New DAZN viewers can purchase the fight card and a month’s subscription for £19.99. For existing DAZN subscribers, the fight is priced at £18.99.
The fight is also available to order on the Sky Sports Box Office channel for £19.95.
Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou undercard
There is another huge heavyweight bout serving as chief support on Friday night. Joseph Parker, who secured a huge win over Deontay Wilder in December, is back in action against Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang, the man who twice knocked out Joe Joyce last year.
Joshua vs Ngannou undercard in full
Zhilei Zhang vs Joseph Parker (WBO ‘Interim’ heavyweight titleh
Rey Vargas vs Nick Ball (WBC featherweight world title)
Israil Madrimov vs Magomed Kurbanov (WBA super-welterweight world title)
Mark Chamberlain vs Gavin Gwynne (lightweight)
Justis Huni vs Kevin Lerena (heavyweight)
Jack McGann vs Louis Greene (super-welterweight)
Ziyad Almaayouf vs Christian Lopez Flores (super-lightweight)
Roman Fury vs Martin Svarc (cruiserweight)
Andrii Novytskyi vs Juan Torres (Heavyweight)
Odds
- Joshua to win by KO//TKO: 8/13
- Joshua to win by points or decision: 7/2
- Ngannou to win by KO/TKO: 7/2
- Ngannou to win by points or decision: 17/1
- Draw: 25/1
What the fighters have said about the fight
Anthony Joshua: ‘We are not looking past this fight, the incentives and all that stuff, it is just about a win. I’ve got to focus on my game plan and what I’ve got to do.
‘His first dream was to be a boxer, which people forget. He had been doing it from a young age so I know what I am up against because I look at all these small details.
‘I spar, I do my film study and keep it professional, but what happens on the night is different and all that textbook stuff goes out of the window and you’ve just got to be relentless. It is already written in the stars what is going to happen, I am just going to follow my destiny.
Francis Ngannou: ‘I really think I haven’t shocked the world. I am still in the factory, building, training, learning and when I really get it, that is when the world is going to be shocked.
‘I am just working and learning about the sport I have loved my entire life.
‘Now I am getting the opportunity to really do it, get some experience and now I can do something really nice. I trust the process, I trust my team and the work we are putting in. It is going to pay off.
‘Everything is a clue, every space where there is an opening, I am going to hit. I am not going to leave any stone unturned or any opportunity unexplored.’
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