Francis Ngannou has weighed in on the long-contested debate over who would win if Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury ever faced off inside the ring.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou has fought both British heavyweights in the last six months, but fallen to defeats on both occasions, most recently to Joshua last Friday.
The Cameroonian fighter suffered a stunning second-round knockout loss against the former two-time heavyweight champion in Saudi Arabia, falling afoul of a stunning right from the Brit.
After hitting the deck twice already in the fight it proved too much for Ngannou to come back from, and he was seemingly unconscious by the time he hit the canvas for the third time on the night.
Against Fury, the MMA star made it the distance, with many talking up his credentials as a boxer after the surprising result, and as a veteran of both fights he is perhaps well placed to give his verdict on a potential winner.
Francis Ngannou has weighed in on the Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury debate after losing to both fighters
Joshua secured a comprehensive second round knockout victory over Ngannou on Friday
Fury was taken the distance by Ngannou in October 2023 but the fight was scored in the Brit’s favour
After losing to AJ on Friday, Ngannou was asked who he backed to come out on top if the two ever crossed paths, he told iFL TV: ‘I don’t know, I would give it to AJ for right now.’
When asked about whether he was caught out by Joshua’s power, he added: ‘I think he got the right timing. It was about the timing, mostly.
Joshua has looked back to his best in his most recent fights, beating Otto Wallin in December after his corner threw in the towel, having stopped Robert Helenius in August 2023 for a first knockout win in almost three years.
However, following his win over Ngannou on Friday, Fury appeared to throw some shade at Joshua.
‘Me and Oleksandr Usyk have got an undisputed heavyweight world title fight coming up, and he’s just had a show fight – which is fantastic for the show, but for the actual real boxing it’s me and Usyk who fight for the No 1 position and undisputed,’ he told talkSPORT’s Michael Benson.
Joshua hit out at the Gypsy King in the wake of his second-round win, seemingly brushing off his compatriot’s comments and dubbing him a trash talker.
Ngannou caught a brilliant right cross from Joshua to the face that sent him plummeting to the canvas
Joshua called Fury’s remarks about Ngannou ‘disrespectful’ after the MMA star ‘changed his life around’
Speaking to iFL TV, Joshua was asked about Fury’s reaction to his knockout and simply replied: ‘F*** Tyson Fury.’
He added: ‘You know what it is? I don’t like trash talking people but I heard him say something like “I’m here to do commentary about these two sausages”.
‘That guy that I fought (Ngannou), that he fought, is an ex-UFC heavyweight champion. A phenomenal story. Someone who changed his life around.
‘It’s too disrespectful. Forget anything about him.’