Ngannou is a unique addition to the heavyweight division. His unexpected showing against Tyson Fury last October was the type of surprise the boxing world is not accustomed to. Dropping one of the world’s best heavyweights in the third round and taking him the 10-round distance was proof that the Cameroonian is not some sort … Read more
2) Captain Hook Although not technically perfect, Ngannou’s left hook carries undeniable power, as seen when Fury was knocked down in round three. 3) No fear Instead of dwelling on his performance against Fury, Ngannou decided to face Anthony Joshua, a fighter considered out of his league. 4) Fit for war Unlike Fury’s usual tactics, … Read more
1) Leigh Wood Leigh Wood has been on a remarkable run since 2021, making him one of the most exciting boxers to watch. His wins against Can Xu and Michael Conlan were incredibly dramatic, and his battles with Maurico Lara and Josh Warrington only solidified his reputation. Leigh Wood lands a right on Mauricio Lara … Read more
The “rematch clause” is a well-known term in boxing’s language. Before a punch is thrown a safety net is put in place for one fighter, usually dubbed the “A-Side”, which allows them a second bite at the cherry should they lose. This normally applies to fights of great importance where one or more of the … Read more
1) Tyson Fury (Queensberry) vs Anthony Joshua (Matchroom) They’ve had long enough to make it, but still the all-British heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua escapes us. Perhaps now, though, with Matchroom and Queensberry forced to hold hands by Turki Alalshikh, we are closer than ever to common sense prevailing. Joshua lands his … Read more
By Declan Taylor ANTHONY JOSHUA is halfway through explaining why he has decided to make his move to Ben Davison a permanent one when he whips his iPhone out of his trouser pocket and opens up the notes app. “I do my own stuff,” he says, beginning to scroll. “For example with Ngannou…” By now … Read more
By Steve Bunce ALL the elements were in place for the latest Saudi boxing extravaganza. Upstairs in the shadows, the boss was lurking, downstairs on the top table, old and bitter rivals were laughing and backslapping and, in the audience, Gary Stretch, was wandering about, posing for pictures and smiling. It’s a brand-new world of … Read more
By Declan Taylor NO SOONER had Anthony Joshua taken care of Otto Wallin on December 23 than Francis Ngannou set the ball rolling for his own fight with the English heavyweight icon. Of course, that Day of Reckoning card had been set up almost entirely as a prelude for Joshua’s long-awaited fight with Deontay Wilder, … Read more
By Matt Christie ONCE upon a time in Saudi Arabia, the man widely regarded as the best heavyweight in the world was almost beaten by a debutant and subsequently had to postpone a fight with his closest rival. Less than two months later in the same Kingdom, a card featuring several other top heavyweights, which … Read more
By George Gigney THE FESTIVE period provided plenty to talk about: Naoya Inoue confirming his position as the 2023 Fighter of the Year, Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou signing to fight each other in March and referee Tony Weeks sparking controversy around fighter safety. But, to kick off the new year, let’s try something a … Read more
