FRANCIS NGANNOU has vowed to knock out Anthony Joshua – believing it will be an easier night’s work than against Tyson Fury.
Ngannou put his MMA career on hold last year to cross over to the boxing ring for a fight with the Gypsy King.
And the boxing debutant astonishingly floored Fury, 35, but failed to keep him down before losing a controversial decision.
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But Ngannou, 37, claimed he will not make the same mistake of letting Joshua, 34, back up when they share the ring in March.
He said on The MMA Hour: “I think most likely [I will] knock Anthony Joshua out. I think that he’s easier to go down than Fury.
“That was my first fight in boxing. As anyone, I’m just improving, and the gap of improvement for a beginner like me, it’s huge.
“I’m just a beginner improving. No one still knows what I can do. Not that he’s not a strong fighter.
“He’s a very tough fighter, but he’s easier to send down than Fury, and it’s harder for him to get back up than Fury.
“If AJ takes the punch that Fury took, I don’t guarantee that he is getting up.
“I have heard that he doesn’t have a chin, I am going to find out.”
Joshua was expected to face Deontay Wilder, 38, until the American was stunned by Joseph Parker, 31.
So AJ was forced to look elsewhere for a blockbuster bout and fell on the ex-UFC champion, who praised for British star for his last win over Otto Wallin. 32.
Ngannou said: “He looked amazing. Congratulations to him. He was doing his job properly. His speed was there.
“He looked sharp, very sharp, but on the other hand, I think there wasn’t a response in front of him.
“I think I will have a better response in front of him that will put him not in such comfortable positions and situations.
“I think he’s still the same fighter, that doesn’t mean he can’t lose. I’m intending to hand him a loss. Things will change.
“Things will be different. I will not stand there and just look at him. It’s going to be different.
“I’m going to throw some bombs out there, and he’s going to be mindful of what he’s doing.”
