Anthony Joshua Vs Francis Ngannou Predictions
Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou headline a fantastic fight night in Saudi Arabia on Friday night.
The heavyweights are set to face off in an intriguing battle, and with Tyson Fury’s undisputed clash with Oleksandr Usyk just around the corner, there could be further big prizes awaiting the big-punching duo.
AJ returns to the ring after retiring Otto Wallin in his corner last December and the Watford man has the experience of 30 professional contests, with a handful of top-level bouts.
Ngannou makes just his second appearance in a boxing ring, but the former MMA star dropped the unbeaten WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in October, and although that is only one-fight form, it certainly looks very strong form.
Anthony Joshua Vs Francis Ngannou Predictions
Tip 1 - Francis Ngannou to win by stoppage @ 7/2
Joshua no longer holds any of the four major heavyweight world titles, the British fighter has lost three of his last eight bouts and AJ is still the red-hot 27/100 favourite to beat Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on Friday night.
AJ’s fans and the market appear to be clinging to the explosive performances that Joshua produced in the early part of his career, without the realisation that the 34-year-old could be past his physical peak and taking into account that the vast majority of the Watford puncher’s impressive performances have come against low-level opposition.
Joshua was dominated twice by Usyk, he was stopped and dropped by Andy Ruiz and AJ’s latest two victories came against extremely limited opponents in Otto Wallin and Robert Helenius.
Ngannou has just a single professional contest on his boxing record, and it’s dangerous to get carried away by one performance, but it was hard not to be seriously impressed by the Cameroonian, in the context of the 7/2 on offer, that he beats Joshua by stoppage.
The Predator dropped Fury in October, he could have easily been awarded the judges decision in the Saudi contest and there was aggression and power, which has often proved Joshua’s downfall.
The Gypsy King is the unbeaten WBC heavyweight boss, he may well be the undisputed champion of the world later this year, and the fact that Ngannou caused the Morecambe man so many problems, has to be a major positive for his chances on Friday night.
Joshua has been vulnerable to power in bouts against Dillian Whyte, Usyk, Ruiz and Wladimir Klitschko and he may be gobbled up by the Predator.
Tip 2 - Francis Ngannou to win in rounds 1-5 @ 13/2
At 13/2, it could also pay to take a big-priced punt that Ngannou ends this fight in rounds 1-5.
It was clear from the Fury fight that the Predator has the conditioning and strength to throw a high output of punches without wilting.
It took the 37-year-old only three rounds to drop the Gypsy King and Joshua may not be as resilient as Fury.