Both fighters are out for the check, but the show could get out of control
On March 8 in Riyadh, the former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua will hold his fourth of the year and 31st of his career fight in a professional ring. His rival is former UFC champion Francis Ngannou – will compete in an official boxing match for the second time in his career. At stake in Joshua vs Ngannou fight – huge checks: a Briton will earn at least 50 million dollars, a Cameroonian – at least 20 million. And although there seems to be no intrigue in such a confrontation, the show could get out of control.
There seems to be no intrigue in the confrontation. As a boxer, Joshua is two heads taller than Ngannou, and in terms of athleticism and physical power he is not inferior to the Cameroonian. Unlike Fury, who seemed to simply take a nonchalant approach to the fight with Ngannou, Joshua prepared seriously. It’s clear, judging only by the videos and photos from the Briton’s training camp. And most importantly, Anthony will know why he is entering the ring.
According to media reports, Joshua did not earn more than $10 million after losing to Usik in any of the three fights. Surely the Briton, who has a personal contract with DAZN, could raise a good amount for the fight with Deontay Wilder. But the American was inopportunely beaten by Joseph Parker, whom Joshua dealt with, admittedly, with great difficulty. Taking risks again by organizing a rematch with the New Zealander was definitely not part of Anthony’s team’s plans. Ngannou showed up just in time, giving Tyson Fury hell and losing to the Gypsy King in a very controversial decision.
For Joshua, the fight with Ngannou solves several problems. The first is to earn money, the second is to have a good sparring session before a possible fight with the winner of the Usyk-Fury fight. And it seems that everything in the plan was calculated correctly, but it seems that the main factor was not taken into account – the Ngannou factor.
The Cameroonian seems to be getting a taste for big fights, big attention and big money. The fee for Fury’s fight exceeded all the prize money earned by the Cameroonian in MMA. Payments for the fight with Joshua will make Ngannou one of the richest athletes in Cameroon. A possible fee for a fight with the winner of the Usyk-Fury fight will make Francis rich. So why not take a chance?
Read also: The Joshua-Ngannou fight has a difficult task – not to repeat the financial result of the Cameroonian fight with Fury
Ngannou does not come from the classical boxing school, which is Joshua’s strong point. He has no experience in boxing matches, but he has a powerful punch, a strong jaw and a steely character. The last two qualities, it seems, are lacking in the Briton. And if Ngannou resists and delivers at least one of his punches, as we saw in the fight with Fury, the development of events could follow an interesting scenario. Let’s stock up on popcorn.
Source: Sportarena
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
