The Francis Ngannou next fight news has finally arrived, and after nearly shocking the world in his boxing debut against Tyson Fury, the Cameroonian goliath will be back in the boxing ring in March to face another top heavyweight star from the last decade.
Related: How to watch Ngannou vs. Joshua on March 8
Who will Francis Ngannou next fight be against?
Ngannou nearly turned the fight sports world upside down in October when he lost a razor-thin split decision to heavyweight great Tyson Fury. With him fairing far better than anyone ever expected, the former UFC champion will make his return to boxing in March to face England’s other superstar heavyweight, Anthony Joshua.
Francis Ngannou vs. Anthony Joshua broadcast details
- Ngannou vs. Joshua will headline a pay-per-view card on March 8
- The fight will likely take place inside the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- The card will air exclusively on the streaming service DAZN
Related: Anthony Joshua Suggests Francis Ngannou Should Never Return To MMA?
Francis Ngannou vs. Anthony Joshua preview
Ngannou’s fight with Joshua will be another huge challenge for the MMA star. However, if his debut against Fury proved anything, it’s that the 37-year-old should never be underestimated. Especially when he is, arguably, the hardest-hitting fighter in the entire fight game.
An Athletic Equal: What makes this fight different then his one with Fury is that Ngannou will not be the far better athlete. “AJ” will not only be taller than Ngannou, but he is just as impressive a physical specimen as the veteran cage fighter. That equal high-level athleticism will offer all new challenges for “The Predator” on fight night.
Chin Check: Another big difference between Fury and Joshua is the “Gypsy King” is as durable a fighter as the heavyweight division has ever seen. That is not the case for Joshua who has a reputation for a weak chin. While Joshua may be faster and more powerful than Fury, one good shot from Ngannou can easily win him the fight.
The bottom line: This a fun matchup of a pair of gifted heavyweight athletes. Joshua will be the favorite but Ngannou will be a popular pick among many fight fans and experts in March.
Related: UFC welterweight rankings – Ranking the top 10 170-pound fighters in the world
What makes Francis Ngannou so popular?
Ngannou built an impressive fight sports resume by being, arguably, the hardest puncher in MMA history. While he isn’t an overly technical fighter or a skilled grappler, he has a sound fight style that does everything it needs to so he can unleash his superhuman power and put opponents to sleep.
Let’s look at some other fascinating facts about the man known as “The Predator.”
- Francis Ngannou record: 17-3 MMA (12 knockouts, 4 submissions), 0-1 Boxing
- Francis Ngannou last fight: Split-decision loss to Tyson Fury
- Francis Ngannou height: 6-foot-4
- Ngannou won the UFC heavyweight title in a destructive second-round KO of division GOAT Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 in March 2021.
- He has scored knockouts in 71% of his MMA fights.
- Ngannou earned highlight-reel knockouts over UFC greats like Miocic, dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, Alistair Overeem, and Andre Arlovski during his career.
- While he isn’t known for his grappling he actually has four submission wins on his resume.
- Ngannou is trained by elite MMA coach Eric Nicksick and Dewey Cooper at Las Vegas gym Xtreme Couture.
Francis Ngannou net worth
The measure of a fighter’s success is in dollars and cents stacked up from a career in professional fisticuffs. Following his big fight with Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou’s net worth is believed to be between $5 and $7 million.