By Charles Mgbolu
Former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua delivered a powerful performance on Friday night as he floored Francis Ngannou three times in two rounds at Riyadh's Kingdom Arena in a knockout win that put him right back in the reckoning for another title shot.
Before the fight, far more had been expected from Ngannou after he knocked down WBC champion Tyson Fury in his first bout in Riyadh in October and went on to lose on a split decision.
So what happened to Ngannou?
In pre-match interviews, Joshua warned that he was constantly underestimated by his opponents.
There is some truth to it, with Ngannou often caught relishing in his surprise performance against Fury. His analogy was simple: if he could bring down Fury, then Joshua would not be out of reach.
But Joshua was merciless in this bout.
The British-Nigerian boxer sent the 37-year-old Cameroon-born former UFC heavyweight champion, with two-fight professional boxing experience, to the canvas in the opening round with a straight right to the chin.
‘’Against Fury, Ngannou took an illegal elbow and didn’t even flinch; rather, he kept coming at Fury, showing he has a strong and very good chin. But against AJ, once he got hurt from that first punch and knockdown, his technical disabilities began to show,’’ Dieko Obi, a musician and boxing analyst, tells TRT Afrika.
The bout tagged "Knockout Chaos" truly lived up to its billing with Joshua’s explosive right-left combination.
The referee stepped in and stopped the fight, with Joshua declared the winner by knockout victory and Ngannou out cold and receiving treatment before getting back, stunned, to his feet.
‘’AJ, once a very aggressive fighter, has now added some more explosiveness to his arsenal. The extension of his left foot, adds a lot of balance and stability to his legs, as he steps in and out of range effortlessly. His constant shots to the body and swift jabs both to the body and the head in quick succession are an eye-catcher,’’ adds Obi.
What next for Joshua?
Joshua is now more determined than ever to head back to the top of boxing and become a three-time heavyweight champion.
But Joshua must wait for the winner of the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk clash on May 18. The clash also has a rematch clause, so Joshua will have to get his mind and fists busy in the meantime if the rematch clause is activated.
Joshua may likely meet Filip Hrgovic, who is a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and top of the IBF rankings.
Joshua has his sights set firmly on a world title, and all those who once doubted his capabilities are quickly having a rethink.
‘’He cuts the ring amazingly, his footwork is a lot slicker. He has become a lot more mobile and greatly athletic. This new AJ is a unit and ticks all the boxes as well. Ben Davidson has created a lethal weapon,’’ concludes Obi.
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