CARL FROCH claimed Anthony Joshua’s knockout of Francis Ngannou was evidence Tyson Fury is “on the decline”.

Ngannou was brutally knocked out by AJ in two rounds following three knockdowns and one final ruthless right hand.

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Francis Ngannou knocked down Tyson FuryCredit: Getty

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Joshua knocked out Ngannou in two roundsCredit: Reuters
But just five months earlier on his boxing debut he floored Fury – only to lose a controversial split-decision.

The differing performances and results leaves ex-world super-middleweight champion Froch convinced Fury’ time at the top is up.

He said: “Fury must have just been having a really bad night – or, like I think, Fury’s past his best. He’s seen better days.

“I study the sport and I study the fights, and Tyson Fury used to throw 30-plus feints a round.

“Feint, feint. Draw his opponent in, feint. Double jab, right hand. He’s not doing the feints anymore. He’s doing four or five feints.

“He’s slow on his feet. He’s been knocked down five times [in recent years].

“When you’re hitting the floor and getting hit on the chin and not throwing feints and not as busy as you used to be, that means you’re past your best and you’re on the decline and you’re on the slide.”

Fury, 35, returns on May 18 in an undisputed title showdown against Oleksandr Usyk, 37, in Saudi Arabia.

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The first ever four-belt heavyweight unification was postponed after the Gypsy King suffered a horror cut in sparring two weeks out from the bout

And now Froch – speaking at the Boxing Writers Club – questions if the WBC champion will ever make it to the historic title bout.

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He added: “I don’t think the Usyk fight happens.

“If it does, [Fury] must love the pound note, because he’s got enough money. He don’t need to fight.

“If he fights Usyk, he’ll get beat – unless I’m totally wrong and Fury’s just not taking the sport seriously.

“When I watched that Netflix series – he’s up and down mentally. If he takes it seriously and he fancies it and he’s happy and on a high, he trains properly.

“You might see the last, best Tyson Fury. He might get in there with Usyk and be too big for him and too quick, and beat him and dominate him, and then I hope he retires.

“But, one, I don’t think the fight will happen. Two, if it happens, I think – unless he rekindles the old flame – he’s going to get easily beat. I don’t think it’ll be a knockout or anything like that.

“I just think it’ll be a points job, or maybe a late stoppage, because Usyk is a lot smaller than him, and a bit lighter.

“But he’s growing into the weight now. But he’s an old man himself. He’s past his best.”

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Froch with The Sun’s Colin Hart at the Boxing Writers Club