On March 8 in Saudi Arabia, Great Britain’s Anthony Joshua is set to take on MMA fighter Francis Ngannou in a heavyweight showdown.
Previously dismissing the idea of facing Cameroon-born Ngannou as a “gimmick fight,” the 34-year-old Joshua is now committed to this bout. Ngannou, a 37-year-old former UFC champion, entered professional boxing in October, delivering a knockdown to Tyson Fury before narrowly losing by decision.
The undercard features Joseph Parker against China’s Zhilei Zhang, with Briton Nick Ball facing Rey Vargas for the WBC featherweight title in his first world-title bout.
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Ngannou surprised the boxing world last year by knocking down undefeated Fury, ultimately losing in a split decision. Joshua, the 35-year-old Briton, is set to fight Oleksandr Usyk on February 17 for the opportunity to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999.
Fury currently holds the WBC title, while Usyk, a 36-year-old Ukrainian, holds the WBA, WBO, and IBF belts.
Originally planning to host Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder on March 9, organizers had to change plans after Wilder’s points defeat by Parker in December. The clash with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix led to the decision to hold Joshua vs. Ngannou on March 8.
While Joshua initially downplayed the idea of fighting Ngannou, circumstances and the desire to position himself for potential future title fights prompted a change of plans. The Ngannou matchup offers Joshua a chance to stay active and maintain Saudi organizers’ interest in heavyweight events.
Saudi Arabia’s substantial investment in hosting major sporting events has faced criticism, with concerns about ‘sportswashing.’ In a recent interview, Saudi Arabia’s sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal refuted claims of ‘sportswashing,’ emphasizing the economic benefits, tourism promotion, and increased physical activity inspired by such investments.