‘F*** TYSON FURY!’ – ANTHONY JOSHUA NOT HOLDING BACK! – REACTS TO BRUTAL KNOCKOUT OF FRANCIS NGANNOU 

IFLTV’S KUGAN CASSIUS SPOKE TO ANTHONY JOSHUA (IN DRESSING ROOM, SAUDI ARABIA) IMMEDIATELY AFTER DESTROYING FRANCIS NGANNOU INSIDE TWO ROUNDS.

Anthony Joshua urges Francis Ngannou not to quit boxing after brutal knockout

Anthony Joshua has urged Francis Ngannou not to give up on boxing after defeating him in just his second professional fight in Riyadh. Joshua managed to knock out the former UFC champion in the second round, leaving him needing oxygen in the ring.

Despite losing narrowly on points to WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in his only previous fight, Ngannou started off strong in Riyadh, holding his own for most of the first round. However, Joshua knocked him down with about a minute left in the round, and when he fell again in the second, it seemed unlikely that Ngannou would be able to continue.

Speaking to broadcaster DAZN, Joshua said: “On the road to the championship, you should always stay focused,” and “when I saw the fight with Tyson Fury, I thought I want some of that. (Ngannou) is a great champion and this doesn’t take anything away from his capabilities. I told him not to leave boxing. He’s two fights in and he fought the best.”

Now, Joshua has won four fights in a row, putting him in an excellent position to face the winner of the May 18 fight between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. He expressed his gratitude towards the Ben Davison performance centre, saying: “The Ben Davison performance centre, I appreciate them highly,” and “all of these guys that I worked with until this day. I’m just hungry. Stay hungry and all that good stuff.

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Tyson Fury tells Anthony Joshua how to defeat Francis Ngannou and not end up ‘on his a**’ like him

Tyson Fury has backed Anthony Joshua to defeat Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia – as he gave him the last-minute instructions on how to secure the win.

Ex-MMA star Ngannou is set to take on two-time heavyweight world champion Joshua in Riyadh in just his second professional boxing contest – having been on the end of a controversial points decision loss to WBC champion Fury last year. Saudi royal court adviser and Chairman of General Authority for Entertainment Turki Al-Sheikh has vowed that the man who has his hands lifted at the end of the fight will face the winner of Fury’s undisputed showdown with Oleksandr Uysk which takes place in Riyadh on Saturday May, 18.

But Fury already reckons who he knows who he will be facing after making the trip over to the Middle East to see his younger brother Roman win on the undercard – IF he follows his set instructions. Fury told DAZN: “I’m looking for an explosive fight.

“If Joshua uses the jab, moves his feet, he wins comfortably. If he gets involved, he could get tagged like I did. I should have probably used my jab, danced round him, and won 10-0, but I tried to jump in with the big power shots and hit him, bang, bang.

Francis Ngannou apologises to fans and says ‘I let you all down’ after he was knocked out by Anthony Joshua… but former UFC champion vows to come back from ‘bad day at the office’ 

Francis Ngannou vowed to come back from ‘a bad day at the office’ after he was brutally knocked out by Anthony Joshua.

‘AJ’ floored his opponent in the first round with a right hand to the chin then again early in the second with a right-left hook combination.

The former UFC champion got to his feet but was quickly put back down by a strong right hand, after which the referee put a stop to the contest.

Afterwards he posted on X: ‘Sorry guys I let you all down.

‘Today was a bad day in the office but tomorrow will be another day.

Anthony Joshua saw off Francis Ngannou in just two rounds with an explosive knockout

Referee put a stop to the contest after the former UFC champion was floored for a third time

‘Thank you all for the love.’

The 37-year-old, who performed well in losing narrowly on points to WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in what had been his only previous fight, started brightly again in Riyadh, holding his own well for much of the first round.

He was put on the canvas by Joshua with about a minute to go in the round, beating the count at nine and making it back to his feet to see out the final 40 seconds.

However, when he was knocked down again in the second round there appeared to be little chance of Ngannou continuing, and after struggling back up he was quickly knocked out by a big right hand to put an end to the contest in Joshua’s favour.

Ngannou required oxygen in the ring as he was attended to by medics in the immediate aftermath, before recovering to leave the ring unaided.

Afterwards Joshua said Ngannou should continue in boxing.

‘You’re an inspiration,’ Joshua said.

‘You’ll beat a lot of people. Don’t leave boxing. Don’t leave boxing.

‘If you need anything, let me know, but we’ll speak another time.’