SUMMARY
- Previously, the fans witnessed the former UFC heavyweight champ make his boxing debut against the lineal heavyweight champion of the year.
- Anthony Joshua now intends to stay active and get a streak going, aiming for a return in March 2024.
Francis Ngannou enjoyed a year of tremendous success in 2023. With an impressive performance against Tyson Fury, Ngannou gained a lot of new fans. As such, there are already rumblings of his return in March 2024.
Previously, the fans witnessed the former UFC Heavyweight Champ make his boxing debut against the lineal Heavyweight Champion of the year. On the night, Ngannou not only secured a knockdown but more than held his own in a sport that he was largely unfamiliar with.
Francis Ngannou is a potential opponent for Anthony Joshua in March, per Eddie Hearn 😯 pic.twitter.com/a2FxKmE3Yh
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) January 1, 2024
Elsewhere, Anthony demolished Otto Wallin in the main event of ‘Day of Reckoning’ in Saudi Arabia. As such, ‘AJ’ now intends to stay active and get a streak going, aiming for a return in March 2024. Speaking to iFL TV, promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that ‘The Predator‘ is now a potential opponent for Joshua’s next fight.
Moreover, with Deontay Wilder losing to Joseph Parker, it appears that the fight is as good as dead. As for his latest outing, Joshua has managed to prove a lot of doubters wrong. Following a brutal five rounds, the Englishman prompted his Swedish opponent’s corner to throw in the towel. Thus, Joshua now has three wins on the trot after two back-breaking losses at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk.
What is next for Francis Ngannou and Anthony Joshua?
For the most part, a lot of people would indeed be interested in watching a Joshua-Ngannou fight. As for the Cameroonian, he has been pining for a shot at the top heavyweights like Joshua and Deontay Wilder. Previously, there were even talks of an MMA bout between the former UFC champ and The Bronze Bomber.
With that said, it is quite clear that Francis does not need to rush anything and has firmly established himself as a big draw in the game. Having put in an exemplary performance against one of the best of all time, Ngannou’s next fight is something that boxing fans will want to keep a close eye on. Additionally, Eddie Hearn mentioning him for a fight against ‘AJ‘ speaks volumes about the PFL man’s stock.
David Higgins, the promoter of Joseph Parker, has claimed that the New Zealander has “earned the right” to a rematch with Anthony Joshua following his win over Deontay Wilder 🗣
Is that a fight you would like to see? 🤔#BoxingNews | #AnthonyJoshua | #JosephParker pic.twitter.com/lUvNqFdbpT
— IFL TV (@IFLTV) January 2, 2024
For the most part, following Joshua’s dominant win against Wallin, it was revealed that the Englishman would likely face Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF Heavyweight World title next. At the same time, there were rumors about a potential fight against Zhilei Zhang and even a rematch against Joseph Parker. With the Kiwi winning against Wilder, Parker’s promoter, David Higgins, believes that he is deserving of a rematch against Joshua.
Thus, the 34-year-old has a plethora of options to choose from. However, at the same time, his ultimate target remains the Tyson Fury fight, which might compel him to take on Ngannou. With the Cameroonian’s remarkable performance against The Gypsy King, a win over him could see AJ become the frontrunner to fight Fury next. Hence, all things considered, it makes Joshua vs. Ngannou a real possibility for the future.