Anthony Joshua showcased his dominance over Francis Ngannou at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Friday night.
The former unified two-time heavyweight champion floored the Cameroonian in the second round of their 10-round bout.
Joshua initially sent Ngannou stumbling with a right-left hook, following it up with another right hand that rendered him unconscious on the canvas.
Referee Richard Gonzales signalled the end of the bout with the former UFC heavyweight champion out cold.
In his post-fight interview, Joshua revealed he took up the challenge after Ngannou faced Tyson Fury in a split-decision loss in October 2023.
“On the route to the championship, you should always stay focused. This was me stepping aside from that mission. I thought it was something for the broadcasters and sponsors to get behind. It’s just about entertainment,” the British-Nigerian boxer said.
“But when I saw the fight with him (Ngannou) and Tyson Fury, I was like, ‘Damn, this guy can fight.’ So I said I need a piece of that, and as I said, he’s an inspiration. So we wanted to welcome him.
“We broke bread together, and he’s a great champion. This doesn’t take away anything from his capabilities because in boxing, it’s one or the other. He can come again.
“I told him he shouldn’t leave boxing. He can do well. Remember, he’s two fights in and he’s fought the best.”
The 34-year-old believes Ngannou can go far in boxing if he remains dedicated to the sport.
Joshua has now won four fights in a row following his back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
**Fans React: “The Match Looks Fixed”**
In a chat with SEVANEWS, Muhammed Kabir said, “The match looks fixed, abeg. How can a man who beat the Unification title holder to stupor only to be denied a win by unanimous decision, be knocked out in the second round? All this is for Joshua to have a little level before the Fury fight. It’s a good thing for morale, though.”
“Francis Ngannou needs to start with the lower-ranked heavyweights guys. Starting with Fury and AJ will definitely make him quit boxing. He really isn’t a match for them,” commented Anthony Ezra, congratulating Joshua. “Indeed they are both awesome. I love them both, my African brothers, and congratulations AJ,” he added.
Jide Ambimbola said, “Francis is still learning; he’ll become a big boxer someday. Love them all.”