Anthony Joshua delivered a stunning knockout of Francis Ngannou in the second round of their heavyweight boxing match in Riyadh on Friday night. The former two-time unified champion floored the former UFC star three times, the last one leaving him unconscious on the canvas. Joshua improved his record to 28-3 with 25 knockouts, while Ngannou suffered his second defeat in as many boxing bouts.
The fight was a lucrative spectacle that drew worldwide attention, but Joshua is expected to resume his pursuit of a world title shot in his next outing. He had lost his belts to Oleksandr Usyk in 2022 and had won three straight bouts since then, including a rematch with Usyk in 2023.
Ngannou, who had lost his UFC title to Ciryl Gane in 2022, had shocked the boxing world with his performance against Tyson Fury in 2023, where he scored the only knockdown of the fight and lost by a disputed split decision.
Joshua dominated Ngannou from the opening bell, using his superior boxing skills and speed to keep him at bay. He landed a vicious right hand that sent Ngannou to the canvas in the first round, but the Cameroonian beat the count and survived the round.
In the second round, Joshua continued to punish Ngannou with crisp combinations and dropped him again with another right hand. Ngannou got up again, but Joshua wasted no time and finished him off with a devastating right hand that knocked him out cold. The referee waved off the fight without a count, as Ngannou lay motionless on the mat.
Joshua celebrated his impressive victory and praised Ngannou for his courage and power. He said he was ready to face anyone in the heavyweight division, including Fury, who holds the WBC and lineal titles. Ngannou was taken to the hospital for precautionary checks, but later congratulated Joshua on social media and thanked the fans for their support. He said he would not give up on his boxing dream and vowed to come back stronger.Â
