Ngannou for the upset.

[stujones]

Yes a defeat for Joshua would be very damaging for the division. We were already looking at the strong possibility of Usyk v Joshua 3 being the only really big fight down the line, assuming Usyk takes Fury to school.

Mind you - do not have an appetite for that fight. Two pretty convincing / clear wins already for Usyk.

[Kilburn]

Yes a defeat for Joshua would be very damaging for the division. We were already looking at the strong possibility of Usyk v Joshua 3 being the only really big fight down the line, assuming Usyk takes Fury to school.

Mind you - do not have an appetite for that fight. Two pretty convincing / clear wins already for Usyk.

Yeah exactly. Joshua was in better condition for the second fight and had more success, but would he ever really be able to close the gap, realistically.

[Twinkle Toes]

Do you not think he would have made the cardio adjustment to go ten after never going ten?
For a guy who had never had a professional boxing match, he did pretty well and has the team, and the smarts to make simple adjustments like that.

Improving cardio doesn't happen in weeks or months, it's years of development not a simple adjustment. He's a fit fella for sure but I do think he was conserving energy and ultimately it lost him the fight. He simply got outworked by Fury who barely did anything himself.

[KiwiRider]

Do you not think he would have made the cardio adjustment to go ten after never going ten?
For a guy who had never had a professional boxing match, he did pretty well and has the team, and the smarts to make simple adjustments like that.

Improving cardio doesn't happen in weeks or months, it's years of development not a simple adjustment. He's a fit fella for sure but I do think he was conserving energy and ultimately it lost him the fight. He simply got outworked by Fury who barely did anything himself.

Totally agree with you about the cardio takes time. But do you not agree that his cardio will be better than his first ever fight now he knows what to expect?
Ngannou is a smart guy and a hard worker, he has an excellent team around him with the money for expert nutrition and cardio training.
So he has had 4 months.
I think that seens enough time to make improvements and adjustments to his cardio - and yes I agree it does take much longer to reach an optimal level- but 4 months of dedication will have to be better?

[Kilburn]

Whatever may have been worked on re Ngannou’s cardio I doubt it will make a great deal of difference on Friday night, he’ll start to become noticeably fatigued once he lets go with a few explosive bursts. That’s what he is. Francis has improved his cardio over the past 5-6 years but his style will always leave him struggling over a 10 or 12 round boxing format.

The question for me is (assuming the fight doesn’t turn out to be a snooze fest to forget) how much of a significant toll will those early rounds have on AJ.

[Coco]

Who would win between Otto Wallin and Francis?
For me Wallin

[The Gratest]

I think AJ should have enough to see him through. He'll certainly be better prepared than Fury was after witnessing that fight. Fury thought it was going to be a walk in the park, mouthing off after the ref's instructions and then rushing across the ring to throw a big right hand, expecting Ngannou to get caught and realise with shock he was in a different league now. He'd probably imagined the fight in his head and dreamt it a million times whilst counting his millions and pictured himself telling the World afterwards just how brilliant he is and then singing a song to His Excellency, Mr Turki.
Only it turned into a nightmare. He realised it wasn't as simpke as he thought, decided to try to clinching and leaning on only to discover Ngannou was a lot stronger and didn't have twiglets for legs to sap the strength from. He was floundering, falling over in the clinches, knocked on his arse, it was a lesson in humility.

AJ should take from that and realise the threat Ngannou presents. He's sparred with the likes of Takam and Joyce before and he's mainly a stand up boxer style fighter in MMA. He's no mug (although you'd expect the self proclaimed best ever to have taken care of him) and carries a threat with both hands. His KO of Overeem is scary to watch and was delivered with speed. AJ's been caught plenty by left hooks and that seems to be Ngannou's danger punch. The AJ that fought Wallin was impressive, seemed to have a bit of the old spite back, although still not throwing combos like he did pre-Ruiz 1. That style would have suited Ngannou more, the cautious 3 punch max combo AJ nowadays leaves less openings.

AJ doesn't have the elusive, awkward style of Fury (strange to say that given the number of times Fury's hit the deck) nor the dark tricks (elbows, holding, leaning, forearms, spoiling) and Ngannou probably has a greater chance of finding a winning punch because of that. He'll be looking to counter AJ with that left hook and I wouldn't be surprised to see AJ wobble/hit the canvas. I suspect he'll stay cautious though, use the jab a lot and remain patient waiting for an opening rather than forcing one. AJ points I reckon.

[The Gratest]

Who would win between Otto Wallin and Francis?
For me Wallin

I think, what would be more interesting and exciting would be: who would win between Francis and Deontay? Ngannou has said he wants to fight Wilder and I think he would walk through this version.

[Kilburn]

The way Otto has been looking lately I don’t even know if I’d pick him to beat Johnny Fisher.

And I’m no fan of Fisher.

[Nightmare Roy]

Who would win between Otto Wallin and Francis?
For me Wallin

I think, what would be more interesting and exciting would be: who would win between Francis and Deontay? Ngannou has said he wants to fight Wilder and I think he would walk through this version.

Imagine if he beat AJ and then Wilder? I'd have to find a new sport.

[The Gratest]

Who would win between Otto Wallin and Francis?
For me Wallin

I think, what would be more interesting and exciting would be: who would win between Francis and Deontay? Ngannou has said he wants to fight Wilder and I think he would walk through this version.

Imagine if he beat AJ and then Wilder? I'd have to find a new sport.

..and a new forum

[ALI]

When it was first announced i posted somewhere on here AJ will blast him out, but that was a rash reaction. Ngannou is certainly a live dog in this fight, he proved himself against Fury that he is very capable, knows his way around the ring, carries big power, and can go 10 rounds. My mind does keep trying to tell my that surely AJ will spark him at some point, but when i watch reruns of AJ's last few fights i'm much less convinced, and i watch Ngannou in with Fury and the reality is, Ngannou has a shot here. It will be very interesting to see what Ngannou's gameplan will be, surely he will let his hands go a bit more and try to test that AJ chin.

[orbtastic]

Nobody noticed the pipe cleaners lolz

[girv]

That photo has got to have been adjusted, even Wilder doesn’t have legs as skinny as that surely?

It looks like the legs of someone in a wheelchair.

[SeanBrennan]

That photo has got to have been adjusted, even Wilder doesn’t have legs as skinny as that surely?

It looks like the legs of someone in a wheelchair.

it is definitely modified mate

[jamesmcdonnell]

That photo has got to have been adjusted, even Wilder doesn’t have legs as skinny as that surely?

It looks like the legs of someone in a wheelchair.

it is definitely modified mate

Makes Steven Hawking's legs look like Eddie Halls.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I think AJ should have enough to see him through. He'll certainly be better prepared than Fury was after witnessing that fight. Fury thought it was going to be a walk in the park, mouthing off after the ref's instructions and then rushing across the ring to throw a big right hand, expecting Ngannou to get caught and realise with shock he was in a different league now. He'd probably imagined the fight in his head and dreamt it a million times whilst counting his millions and pictured himself telling the World afterwards just how brilliant he is and then singing a song to His Excellency, Mr Turki.
Only it turned into a nightmare. He realised it wasn't as simpke as he thought, decided to try to clinching and leaning on only to discover Ngannou was a lot stronger and didn't have twiglets for legs to sap the strength from. He was floundering, falling over in the clinches, knocked on his arse, it was a lesson in humility.

AJ should take from that and realise the threat Ngannou presents. He's sparred with the likes of Takam and Joyce before and he's mainly a stand up boxer style fighter in MMA. He's no mug (although you'd expect the self proclaimed best ever to have taken care of him) and carries a threat with both hands. His KO of Overeem is scary to watch and was delivered with speed. AJ's been caught plenty by left hooks and that seems to be Ngannou's danger punch. The AJ that fought Wallin was impressive, seemed to have a bit of the old spite back, although still not throwing combos like he did pre-Ruiz 1. That style would have suited Ngannou more, the cautious 3 punch max combo AJ nowadays leaves less openings.

AJ doesn't have the elusive, awkward style of Fury (strange to say that given the number of times Fury's hit the deck) nor the dark tricks (elbows, holding, leaning, forearms, spoiling) and Ngannou probably has a greater chance of finding a winning punch because of that. He'll be looking to counter AJ with that left hook and I wouldn't be surprised to see AJ wobble/hit the canvas. I suspect he'll stay cautious though, use the jab a lot and remain patient waiting for an opening rather than forcing one. AJ points I reckon.

The biggest risk for AJ is if he lets Ngannou get close, where he can use his strength and experience grappling to rough-house AJ, I'd venture AJ is close to if not as strong as Ngannou, but not way is he going to be able to handle him in the clinches, keep Ngannou at the end of long to medium range shots, keep it simple, jab, right straight, occasional hook, bust him up when he gets close, and then reposition.

[SeanBrennan]

That photo has got to have been adjusted, even Wilder doesn’t have legs as skinny as that surely?

It looks like the legs of someone in a wheelchair.

it is definitely modified mate

Makes Steven Hawking's legs look like Eddie Halls.

hahahah you terrible human being.

[Coco]

It will be an upset if Francis makes it into the second half of the fight

[jamesmcdonnell]

it is definitely modified mate

Makes Steven Hawking's legs look like Eddie Halls.

hahahah you terrible human being.

I'm sorry, but if there's an opening for a Simile, I am afraid I am compelled into action.

[SeanBrennan]

Makes Steven Hawking's legs look like Eddie Halls.

hahahah you terrible human being.

I'm sorry, but if there's an opening for a Simile, I am afraid I am compelled into action.

fair play. don't hate the simile, hate the game. #thuglife.

[KiwiRider]

It will be an upset if Francis makes it into the second half of the fight

His chin seems well tested with those little MMA gloves.
I'd love Joshua to go for it, been a while.

[Frostieballs]

I think we will see the Ngannou we all expected before the Fury fight.

[Twinkle Toes]

Totally agree with you about the cardio takes time. But do you not agree that his cardio will be better than his first ever fight now he knows what to expect?
Ngannou is a smart guy and a hard worker, he has an excellent team around him with the money for expert nutrition and cardio training.
So he has had 4 months.
I think that seens enough time to make improvements and adjustments to his cardio - and yes I agree it does take much longer to reach an optimal level- but 4 months of dedication will have to be better?

He'll have trained to be peaking for the fight, as will Joshua and he has the experience of getting them rounds under his belt from the Fury fight. I think Joshua will be busier than Fury was though and Ngannou did strugle with that pace so it will be interesting to see it pan out this time.

At the presser yesterday he did admit there are question marks over his ability to hold a pace over the later rounds which to me looks like he has some doubt there.

[Ezzard]

Joshua seems focused and determined. He's better now than maybe ever. He can box to a decision or throw the bombs. He's a clinical finisher too.

Good luck to both men. FN is no easy fight but I expect Joshua to win a clear decision or to stop FN on his feet.