Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou has called out Anthony Joshua for a bout as he looks ahead to more boxing fights after facing Tyson Fury on Saturday (today) in Saudi Arabia.
Ngannou walked out on the UFC to pursue boxing and held talks to fight Deontay Wilder and Joshua.
Both fights still remain possible in the future as the Cameroonian looks set for a stint in boxing having confidently predicted he will beat Fury then face him again in a rematch.
“I think if I am victorious we are going to run it back, for sure. Then maybe see Anthony Joshua after,” Ngannou told Sky Sports.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn met with the MMA star to discuss a potential bout with Joshua following his UFC exit but Ngannou instead chose to finalise a deal with WBC champ Fury.
Now Hearn has talked down the crossover clash, which may limit any shot of Joshua facing the boxing newcomer telling Boxing Social, “If it’s fought at any kind of pace, I don’t feel like Francis Ngannou can physically do more than four, five rounds.
“I don’t mean that disrespectfully. They’re not used to that kind of fighting. I know MMA is still high intensity, but trust me, you’ll see. Fury may play with him and just hold him up. If Fury wants to, he’ll stop him in the first round, no problem.
“If not, he’ll school him, get him to gas out and stop him on his feet. He (Ngannou) can’t win a round. He can’t hurt him (Fury).”
“He could actually put his chin out and let Ngannou hit him clean and it wouldn’t bother him, honestly. They’re not strikers like boxers.”
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