Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou | PPV - 8 March 2024

[The Gratest]

Nice one BigBore-us. Another obsessive troll post
In the US you're known as 'Not Permitted Entry'.

[SeanBrennan]

do you work for one of the promoters Ruthless? I don't mean that bitchily, I just mean you're very informed with all this. That's a good thing btw, not a dig.

No mate. No affiliation with anyone.

I just do what I do for the forum. Keep it active and going and fresh threads etc.

well good on you mate and thank you it's much appreciated.

[Ruthless-RKO]

do you work for one of the promoters Ruthless? I don't mean that bitchily, I just mean you're very informed with all this. That's a good thing btw, not a dig.

No mate. No affiliation with anyone.

I just do what I do for the forum. Keep it active and going and fresh threads etc.

well good on you mate and thank you it's much appreciated.

Ur welcome

[Ruthless-RKO]

Justis Huni-Kevin Lerena To Land On Joshua-Ngannou 'Knockout Chaos' Undercard

A third heavyweight fight has been secured for the March 8 ‘Knockout Chaos’ card.

Boxing Scene that plans are in place for unbeaten prospect Justis Huni to face former secondary WBA heavyweight title challenger Kevin Lerena on the already announced show from Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The scheduled ten-round will serve in supporting capacity to the Anthony Joshua-Francis Ngannou crossover clash.

Huni-Lerena also joins an undercard that includes the Zhilei Zhang-Joseph Parker interim heavyweight title fight.

Huni (8-0, 5 KOs) was always poised to appear on the show, though his opponent remained unknown for weeks. The 24-year-old from Brisbane fought just once in 2023, a ten-round shutout of Andrew Tabiti last October 28 in Cancun, Mexico. The two were due to meet last June 17 on the Regis Prograis Danielito Zorrilla card in New Orleans, but Huni was forced to postpone after he suffered a torn ligament less than weeks from the fight date.

The placement on this show will mark Huni’s second straight fight away from Australia.

Lerena (30-2, 14 KOs) previously eyed a run at the WBC Bridgerweight title, as he currently holds the interim version of the belt. His move up will not affect his standing in that regard, as heavyweight bouts do not impact the WBC-excluslve Bridgerweight rankings.

The 31-year-old South African southpaw has won two straight bouts since a third-round stoppage defeat to Daniel Dubois after nearly pulling off a major upset. Lerena floored London’s Dubois three times in the opening round, but was down twice himself prior to a stoppage defeat in their December 2022 bout in North London.

A modest weight loss from his 230 ¾-pound mark in that fight saw Lerena thrive in points wins over former cruiserweight titlist Ryad Merhy last May and Senad Gashi last November 25. Both bouts took place at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, which has housed all but nine of his 32 pro bouts. Lerena’s upcoming bout versus Huni will mark the sixth country in which he’s fought but first career fight in the Middle East.

[funso banjo baby]

Not a particularly exciting fight.

[gregregegg]

If huni wide decisions Kev without either getting ver hurt will that be seen as a good result?

It’s interesting to compare to DDD cause he got an early stoppage victory, but bashed early.

[SeanBrennan]

bit of a meh undercard fight

[SeanBrennan]

If huni wide decisions Kev without either getting ver hurt will that be seen as a good result?

It’s interesting to compare to DDD cause he got an early stoppage victory, but bashed early.

albeit with a knackered leg.

[gregregegg]

If huni wide decisions Kev without either getting ver hurt will that be seen as a good result?

It’s interesting to compare to DDD cause he got an early stoppage victory, but bashed early.

albeit with a knackered leg.

Didn’t he hurt his leg getting knocked down? Hard to use an injury caused by a legal punch as an excuse… but unlucky, sure, but a result of a punch.

[Nightmare Roy]

From Big Lennox:

He dropped the greatest HW of all time and ran him close on the cards, he will have had twice as many fights now so he will be twice as experienced, but let's not get silly, it's about money and lots of it.

[Nightmare Roy]

I think AJ nicks it on points, I imagine he will be very cautious in this fight.

[jwfg]

I think AJ nicks it on points, I imagine he will be very cautious in this fight.

I'm going to say that AJ dominates from start to finish in a one sided beat down.

[tonyevs]

I agree.

Ngannou gets a rude awakening I recon.
Joshua will be hitting him as hard and as quickly as he can.

[jwfg]

I agree.

Ngannou gets a rude awakening I recon.
Joshua will be hitting him as hard and as quickly as he can.

Yep. I think the Fury fight flattered Ngannou massively.

[polecateddy]

I agree.

Ngannou gets a rude awakening I recon.
Joshua will be hitting him as hard and as quickly as he can.

Yep. I think the Fury fight flattered Ngannou massively.

Yes Fury clearly has no power anymore, so Ngannou effectively had a free pass. It’s really going to hurt against Joshua. Getting past round 5 seems extremely unlikely.

[forcefraser]

I'd take most top heavyweights to flatten Ngannou. They should be doing

[KiwiRider]

bit of a meh undercard fight

Agree.
They are hinging a lot on a 0-1 guy on the main event too!

[SeanBrennan]

bit of a meh undercard fight

Agree.
They are hinging a lot on a 0-1 guy on the main event too!

they sure are Kiwi!

[Grilling Machine]

If ever there's a guaranteed won't-go-the-distance fight...

The odds are clearly in AJ's favour, but it's a daft fight for him unless he can stop Ngannou impressively for marketing contrast with Fury, and that's not the best mindset for engaging someone with his size and power.

[si7dog7]

Pretty sure AJ will be in shape.
Thank goodness for professionalism.
We’ll see I guess.

[jwfg]

If ever there's a guaranteed won't-go-the-distance fight...

The odds are clearly in AJ's favour, but it's a daft fight for him unless he can stop Ngannou impressively for marketing contrast with Fury, and that's not the best mindset for engaging someone with his size and power.

If Ngannou has Oliver McCall-like punch resistance, he won't be going anywhere. If AJ wins the fight clearly, it will be a good outcome.

[Oiky]

still got the feeling AJ gets it done inside the distance

[jwfg]

still got the feeling AJ gets it done inside the distance

One way or another, I think it'll be a one-sided beat down.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Sky Sports have put an article saying it's on PPV..

May still get on DAZN? who knows..

This AJ DAZN partnership is working really well eh?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou: Sky Sports Box Office to broadcast heavyweight clash live on March 8

Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou will meet in heavyweight clash live on Sky Sports Box Office on March 8; boxing superstar Joshua is the former WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight champion working his way back to the top of the sport; Ngannou, a UFC champion, fights AJ after Tyson Fury bout

The Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou heavyweight clash will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Box Office on Friday March 8.

Joshua, the former unified WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight champion, will fight Ngannou, the one-time UFC titlist whose sudden appearance in boxing has taken the sport by storm, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

Sky Sports Managing Director, Jonathan Licht, said: "As the unrivalled home for sports fans in the UK and Ireland, Sky Sports is thrilled to offer our customers the chance to watch this eagerly awaited clash."

Joshua is on a three-bout winning streak after rebuilding from a second consecutive loss to Oleksandr Usyk in 2022.

Most recently he dominated Otto Wallin, forcing the Swedish contender to retire on his stool after five rounds.

Mixed martial arts star Ngannou will only be having his second professional boxing bout, but he almost secured one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight history in his first.

Last October Ngannou made his pro boxing debut against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in a 10-round non-title bout.

But Ngannou shocked the world when he dropped Fury in their third round. Ngannou went on to lose on a split decision.

Now he will take on another boxing superstar in Joshua and the winner of the fight will be well-placed to challenge for a world title further down the line.

On the undercard, after upsetting Deontay Wilder, New Zealand's Joseph Parker will take on fearsome heavyweight Zhilei Zhang, who twice stopped Joe Joyce last year to win and retain the WBO Interim strap.

Liverpool's unbeaten Nick Ball will also challenge Rey Vargas for the WBC featherweight title.

In an all-British bout, Mark Chamberlain will fight Gavin Gwynne for the European lightweight championship.

Also on the bill will be Australian heavyweight prospect Justis Huni, Tyson Fury's brother Roman Fury, British super-welterweight Jack McGann and local fighter Ziyad Almaayouf.

Watch Joshua vs Ngannou live on Sky Sports Box Office on Friday March 8.