Joshua vs Ngannou live updates (2024)

• Anthony Joshua stops Francis Ngannou in heavyweight bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Joseph Parker twice knocked down by Zhilei Zhang but wins via majority decision
• Nick Ball fights to controversial draw against WBC featherweight champion Rey Vargas
• Israil Madrimov claims vacant WBA title with impressive win over Magomed Kurbanov

Anthony Joshua propelled himself back into the heavyweight world title picture with a destructive second-round knockout win over Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia.

Joshua, the two-time former unified world heavyweight champion, sent Ngannou to the canvas in the opening round of their fight and then felled him a further two times in an emphatic second round.

Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion of the world, appeared to be out before he even hit the canvas and required medical treatment before leaving the ring.

The heavyweight contest was just the second professional boxing match of Ngannou’s career, although the Cameroonian impressed in a split decision loss to WBC champion Tyson Fury in Riyadh last October.

Promoter Eddie Hearn afterwards called for Joshua to face the winner of Fury’s upcoming unification showdown with Oleksandr Usyk, who has twice before defeated Joshua.

Fury and Usyk will fight to become the undisputed heavyweight world champion in May, with a rematch agreed to take place later this year.

Kila H: “Great win, but it’s pretty hilarious to see his manager say there’s no one in the world that can beat him and then in the next sentence show his record has 3 losses on it. Putting down Ngannou that early is no joke though, he’s got a serious chin on him. Now lets see them run it back in MMA.”

Isaac L: “That’s a perfect night for Joshua. A big knockout, embarrassing Fury and propelling himself back into the world title picture.”

Tyson Fury was ringside for today’s fight and seemed to enjoy the knockout blow, laughing and applauding loudly. But, in an interview with DAZN, he sounded rather less impressed with Anthony Joshua’s emphatic victory.

When asked about Eddie Hearn’s assessment that Joshua was the most in-form heavyweight in the world, Fury said: “I’m sure Usyk will have something to say about that, since he beat him twice. Me and Usyk fight for the No 1 and No 2 position in the sport.

“I had a sh*t performance against Ngannou, styles make fights. But I almost got it right, I said one round. (Joshua) did fantastic tonight. It’s what a boxer should have done to him. Well done.

“There's quite a long way to go, there's always been a lot of sh*t getting in the way of it. I've got bigger fish to fry, May 18, then we have a rematch in October. After that, if he's still available and I'm available, let's get it on.”

During that interview with British broadcaster Sky Sports, Anthony Joshua was also pressed on his plans for the rest of 2024. But he refused to be drawn on who he wants to fight next, or if he will fight again if Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury fight twice, as planned.

“If Fury or Usyk want me they can come knocking at my door,” he said. “I will get in there and do my best.”

Anthony Joshua has just been interviewed by Sky Sports. He’s in a bit of a funny mood and seems to still be unhappy at the treatment he received in the press following his pair of defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022.

“It’s not that satisfying, it is what it is,” he replies when asked to assess his impressive performance this evening. “You know what I’ve noticed with you lot (the media). Your life changes when you lose. But when you win it’s just on to the next.

“The heavyweight division is a tough game. We got the job done and people can question me. But I’m not even buzzing with this win. On to the next.

“Losing isn’t good for any fighter. But it helps me speak to fighters coming up when they go through losses. With Ngannou tonight. If I was the old AJ. It would have been a fight that took years out my career. But now I can get rid of him without taking any punishment. But people were looking at me wondering what I’ve been doing.

“This doesn’t do much for my career but maybe it will for some up and coming fighters when I’m advising them in the future.”

Anthony Joshua has now recorded four consecutive victories since losing two fights in a row to Oleksandr Usyk. The last three of those wins have all come by way of knockout.

• April 2023: Defeated Jermaine Franklin via VD
• August 2023: Defeated Robert Helenius via KO R7
• December 2023: Otto Wallin, RTD R5
• March 2024: Francis Ngannou, KO R2

Eddie Hearn has also been interviewed on DAZN. “I’m so proud of him, there was a huge amount of pressure on him tonight. He rolled the dice because His Excellency told us the winner of this will fight the winner of Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury.

“On this form there is no man in the heavyweight division who can beat Anthony Joshua. There is a man down there called Tyson Fury. Please defeat Usyk, because then we can set up the biggest fight in the history of the heavyweight division.”

Anthony Joshua adds: “This is the thing with boxing. Am I coming into my peak? I dunno, it’s hard with the heavyweight division. If I had lost everybody would be saying I’m finished. I’m just doing it while I’m here and making the most of it. In five years this will all be done.

“My team will shape my future. I’m just here to fight. I will go back to my cage and lock myself away and I will come back when it’s time to fight.”

Anthony Joshua is being interviewed by DAZN after that huge knockout victory over Francis Ngannou, who has already left the ring to receive further medical assistance.

“It is what it is,” Joshua says. “When I saw the fight between Francis and Tyson Fury, I realised he could fight. And I wanted a piece of that. He’s an inspiration. He’s a great champion and this result doesn’t take anything away from his capabilities.

“I told him he shouldn’t leave boxing. He can do well. He’s fought two of the best.”

Ngannou has switched back to an orthodox stance. His switch to southpaw wasn’t successful in the slightest. But it hasn’t done him much good — Joshua lands another right hand, which connects with Ngannou’s chin. The former UFC champion is once again in trouble.

Ngannou rallies, but Joshua is making him look like a novice, and Joshua sends him to the canvas for a second time! Again it’s Joshua’s right hand. Ngannou gets to his feet but seconds over he’s down again, Joshua connecting with the right for a third time.

Francis Ngannou goes down very, very heavily. He’s out cold and that’s a sickening knockout. It’s all over.

A quick start from Anthony Joshua who immediately looks to land his jab. Francis Ngannou has his hands fairly low, practically daring Joshua to come forward.

Ngannou is the first to step in and he looks keen to unload with his left. He catches Joshua on the top of the head with a grazing left but the Brit is unbothered.

And there we go! Ngannou has his left hand perilously low and Joshua rocks him with a solid right! Ngannou goes down and it’s a heavy fall. He finally climbs back to his feet, narrowly beating the count.

Will Joshua attack? He gets back behind his jab. He doesn’t need to rush this.

Here comes Francis Ngannou, wearing a very fetching pink and white ensemble.

A number of fireworks go off as he makes his way to the ring, accompanied by the Drake track ‘God's Plan’.

It’s a fairly understated ring walk, certainly when compared to his entrance ahead of the Tyson Fury fight.

Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight fight with Francis Ngannou was initially scheduled for 11.20pm GMT, or 6.30pm ET. The ring walks are now expected to take place in around 5 minutes time, which means you can expect the fight to start at around 00.30am GMT, or 7.30pm ET.

So we’re running somewhere around 60-90 minutes behind schedule.

CompuBox’s fight analysis from Joseph Parker’s victory over Zhilei Zhang: “Zhang knocked Parker down in the third and eighth rounds, but Parker almost doubled up Zhang in power punches landed 79-40.

“Parker averaged 22 punches thrown per round over rounds 1-6, while Zhang averaged 26. Over rounds 7-12, Parker averaged 30 punches thrown per round, while Zhang decelerated to 19.5 punches thrown per round.

“Parker outlanded Zhang 53-31 over the last half of the fight.”