Francis Ngannou has by no means received an expert boxing match. However Anthony Joshua’s coaching staff are treating him as a world-class opponent for his or her March 8 showdown, reside on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace.
Afterall, in his professional debut, Ngannou did handle to drop elite heavyweight Tyson Fury.
That alone was a significant shock, not to mention Ngannou managing to push Fury shut of their 10-round non-title bout, solely dropping on a cut up determination.
Ngannou, an MMA star, demonstrated that the talents and physicality which noticed him win the UFC heavyweight championship may translate into boxing.
If Ngannou has misplaced one thing of the aspect of shock forward the Joshua combat, Ben Davison, AJ’s new coach, refuses to take the combined martial artist frivolously as a boxer.
“Deal with him with the respect,” Davison advised Sky Sports activities. “Let’s not lose the sight of it. He had a split-decision loss to Tyson. Straightaway that places him up amongst folks that have actually struggled with Tyson.”
In addition to his undoubted energy, he has attributes that might make him harmful, even to Joshua, who has twice earlier than been a unified heavyweight world champion.
Davison identified: “He confirmed composure, he confirmed persistence, that are all issues which change into a risk when you possibly can punch like that.
Former World Champion and MMA fan Enzo Maccarinelli discusses how Ngannou has developed from the MMA cage to the boxing ring
“I believe it is simpler to cope with a puncher after they’re a bit bit reckless, a bit gung ho. They’re the novicey aspect of his recreation that we thought we’d see – a scarcity of persistence, a scarcity of composure. However these are issues that he is proven. So we’re treating him like a world-class heavyweight.”
Ngannou’s restricted expertise in boxing additionally makes him exhausting to review. Davison is utilizing what he can.
“You’ve got the MMA. Loads of his knockouts have come from him standing up and his punches and so forth. So there’s a bit to take a look at within the MMA as effectively and clearly the 10-round combat with Tyson,” Davison mentioned.
“The ten-round combat towards Tyson’s an enormous asset to us, I really feel.”
Former cruiserweight world champion Johnny Nelson believes it will be the top of Joshua’s profession if the Brit loses to Ngannou however says he cannot see something however a victory for AJ
Nonetheless the coach warned that there could possibly be extra to come back from Ngannou.
“We do not know. There may be different areas of his recreation that he seems to carry as effectively,” Davison mentioned.
“However we’re ready and have to arrange ourselves for what we predict he is able to and what different areas of his recreation we predict he would possibly attempt to make use of or ways that they could attempt to make use of towards AJ. That is all we will do.”
Watch Joshua vs Ngannou reside on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace on March 8
