Anthony Joshua produced an incredible performance to destroy Francis Ngannou inside two rounds in their heavyweight superfight in Riyadh on Saturday night.
The two-time world heavyweight champion (28-3) had the former UFC king (0-2) on the floor three times in less than 6 minutes, closing the show with a highlight-reel knockout late in the second session.
AJ came into the bout knowing that he needed to impress against a relative boxing novice – despite that Ngannou super show against Tyson Fury last October. And wow, did he do just that.
Joshua blasts Ngannou to defeat
He had Ngannou on the floor late in the first with a blistering straight right after a confident start from the sharp Ngannou. The Cameroonian did beat the count and survived to the bell as Joshua remained patient.
The second round was more of the same, with Ngannou looking good for the first couple of minutes. But then, once again, things came badly unstuck for Ngannou.
First Joshua scored his second knockdown with a beautiful right hand, left hook combination. Again Ngannou was up at eight but again he was visibly very badly hurt.
Now it was just a question of whether Ngannou could survive the round again, but Joshua was in no mood to let him off this time. Seconds later he closed the show with an unbelievable right from Joshua which landed flush and completely finished Ngannou. Referee Richard Gonzalez was waving the bout off the second Ngannou hit the canvas.
AJ back to his VERY BEST
It was a fourth consecutive win for Joshua since those back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk, and his second super-impressive win inside distance under the tutelage of new trainer Ben Davison.
Now AJ is in prime position to face the winner of those Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk unification matches, while Ngannou’s boxing future must now be in some doubt after this brutal defeat.
