Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 28-3 (25) delivered the type of performance against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou 0-2 that we expected from Tyson Fury 34-0-1 (24) last time around.
Last October the 37-year-old Ngannou of Cameroon surprised fans, pundits and Fury himself when he decked the reigning WBC heavyweight champion with a big left hook in the third frame of their 10-round non-title bout before eventually losing a razor-thin split decision.
Joshua left no such doubt at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Friday night. The 34-year-old Brit nailed Ngannou with a big right hand in the opening round of their 10-round contest as Joshua caught the boxing novice trying to switch from orthodox to southpaw stance.
Joshua remained patient but deadly in the second round, stalking behind a stiff jab while waiting for an opening for the right hand. When it came, he didn’t miss. Ngannou went down again.
Although he beat the count, Ngannou appeared to be on shaky legs. Joshua, still one of the best finishes in the game, didn’t let him off the hook. A well-placed right hand put Ngannou out of his misery at the 2:38 mark of the second frame.
According to CompuBox, Joshua needed just five power punches to get the job done.
Joshua praised Ngannou after the fight and implored him to stick with boxing rather than returning to mixed martial arts.
“It is what it is,” said Joshua. “When I saw the fight with Fury, I thought damn, this guy could fight, I wanted a piece of that.
“He’s an inspiration, a great champion and this shouldn’t take away from his capabilities.
“He can come again. I told him he shouldn’t leave boxing. He’s two fights in and he’s fought the best.
“He can go a long way if he stays dedicated.”
Joshua’s longtime promoter Eddie Hearn didn’t waste the opportunity to call out Fury, who will meet WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk 21-0 (14) in Saudi Arabia on May 18.
“You are looking at the baddest man on the planet. The number one heavyweight in the world,” the Matchroom Boxing boss said of Joshua.
“There’s a brilliant fighter down there in Tyson Fury. Please beat Oleksandr Usyk, because you will get the biggest fight of all time.
“That is one of the most destructive knockouts I’ve ever seen.”
Joshua recognises that he will not be in the sport forever and seems to be savouring every moment boxing is giving him.
“This is the thing with boxing, it only takes one shot in the heavyweight division,” Joshua said.
“You should always keep searching for better. For me, I don’t know if I’m coming into my peak, I’m pushing day by day.
“Who knows where it will take me. Imagine in five years I won’t be fighting any more, this will all be said and done, so I’m trying to make the most of it.
“I’m just here to fight. I’m going to go back to my cage, lock myself away and I’ll be let out to fight again. I just want to fight.”
