A press conference held on Monday in London finally made official an event billed as “Knockout Chaos.”
On the March 8 card, former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) will take on former UFC champion Francis Ngannou (0-1 boxing, 17-3 MMA) in a 10 round fight. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Arena, will host the event. This will be yet another card of the Riyadh Season, a state-funded sports and entertainment festival.
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Anthony Joshua: ‘This fight is my everything’
The expectation for March 8 was for Deontay Wilder to face Joshua. This was the reason why both Wilder and Joshua appeared at an event billed as “Judgment Day.” However, the American lost to Joseph Parker, prompting a change of plans. Joshua said at the press conference that he had “no problem” with the prospect of facing Ngannou.
“Every fight leads somewhere,” said the Briton. “So this fight is my everything, my soul, my spirit, my mind, my body. We’ll see where it takes me, but right now I’m not thinking about any championship belts or anything like that. My main focus is Francisco. [Ngannou]…”
Francis Ngannou: “I am preparing for a tough and tough fight”
Ngannou made his professional boxing debut against current WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in October 2023. Despite losing by split decision, the Cameroonian received praise for a performance in which he floored Fury. He now returns to the ring against another of boxing’s best heavyweights.
“So, I don’t take my last fight as a reference and think that I will achieve it and that I will achieve everything. You know, I know exactly where I am. I’m just a beginner. And I will definitely come out better and, yes, I will get better and better. So that’s how I see things. “I’m preparing for a tough, tough fight.”
Full press conference
To watch the full press conference, click here or on the video below:
