Joshua made his feelings clear on Ngannou.
Anthony Joshua made his feelings clear on Francis Ngannou after knocking him out inside two rounds in Saudi Arabia.
It was a stunning display from Joshua, who was tipped as heavy favourite for the contest but still expected to face stiff opposition in the form of a former UFC champion.
Ngannou gained confidence from his narrow split decision loss to Tyson Fury – who was watching the fight live – in October, and looked to take the fight to Joshua early.
But a bright opening 30 seconds of round one was followed by Joshua quickly taking control, and the two-time heavyweight champion knocked Ngannou down to the canvas before the first bell rung.
He landed a stunning right hand to the side of Ngannou’s head early in round two, which sent the French-Cameroonian fighter hurtling back down to the canvas.
And while he did rise to his feet, the damage had already been done, and another right hand from Joshua ended proceedings.
There was momentary worry about Ngannou’s condition after the knockout, as he required oxygen and attention from medical staff, but was able to rise to his feet to hear the final result.
And in his post-match interview, Joshua had some classy words for his opponent.
He began by saying: “You’re an inspiration. You’d beat a lot of people. Don’t leave boxing – don’t leave.
“Dewey [Cooper, Ngannou’s head coach] – don’t leave boxing, you know. This guy is the truth.
“If you [Ngannou] need anything, let me know. We’ll speak another time. I’d love to support your foundation. We’ll speak another time.”
Elsewhere, Joshua was also asked a potential fight with Fury, who takes on Oleksandr Usyk for the heavyweight titles in July.
His promoter Eddie Hearn opened the door to the fight, but told Fury that he had to beat Usyk first in order to make what would be one of the most anticipated fights in British boxing history happen.
For his part, Joshua remained tight-lipped on that prospect – but he’ll have both eyes on Fury vs Usyk later this year.
