By Daniel Edu
Eddie Hearn, the promoter of British boxer Anthony Joshua, has expressed confidence in his client’s ability to defeat Francis Ngannou, the cross-over heavyweight boxer. Hearn’s comments come after Ngannou’s impressive debut in heavyweight boxing, where he nearly defeated Tyson Fury in a high-profile bout.
Ngannou, originally an MMA fighter, had expressed interest in facing Joshua in a professional boxing match for some time. The opportunity arose after his bout with Fury, where he managed to take the British heavyweight champion to the 10th round and even dropped him to the canvas in the third round before losing via a controversial split decision.
Many boxing enthusiasts have since wondered if Ngannou should get a rematch with Fury or challenge Anthony Joshua. Hearn, who believes in Joshua’s boxing prowess, is open to the idea of his client facing Ngannou and is confident in Joshua’s ability to come out on top.
“AJ against Francis Ngannou is massive, it’s massive. Two giants next to each other. Who knows what’s going to happen? I can’t even believe we’re debating this,” Hearn remarked during an interview.
Hearn highlighted the potential financial rewards of such a matchup, suggesting that Ngannou would likely earn more in a boxing bout against Joshua than in his previous fight with Fury. He also mentioned that Joshua initially wasn’t interested in the proposed “gimmick fight,” but circumstances have changed perceptions.
“We are now in the position where we’re debating if Francis Ngannou beats Anthony Joshua. Take my money, and I will show you what happens when Anthony Joshua fights Francis Ngannou. I said three rounds last Saturday, but I’ll be generous and say six rounds,” Hearn stated, confidently predicting that Joshua would secure victory within six rounds against Ngannou.
