“I don’t believe he has that strength” - Francis Ngannou makes bold prediction, says he will take Anthony Joshua’s “soul” in Saudi Arabia
Francis Ngannou recently delivered a firm cautionary message to Anthony Joshua as they gear up for a 10-round heavyweight bout scheduled for March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
During a recent appearance on the High Performance podcast, 'The Predator' acknowledged that Joshua's strength is unknown, but he believes that regardless of his opponent's capabilities, he will emerge victorious:
"Nothing is impossible, right? We don’t know the strength of Anthony Joshua, but even though I don’t believe he has that strength, but we’re going to find out. We’re going to find out, and I think the reverse is going to happen. I’m going to be the one taking his soul."
Check out Francis Ngannou's comments below (55:05):
Ngannou made his boxing debut against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury last October. Despite a contentious split decision loss, the former UFC heavyweight champion showcased remarkable boxing abilities.
He outperformed Fury at times and even achieved a knockdown against 'The Gypsy King' in the third round.
Meanwhile, 'AJ' had an impressive last year, winning all three of his fights, including a fifth-round TKO victory over Otto Wallin in the main event of the 'Day of Reckoning' card in December.
Joshua was initially scheduled to fight Deontay Wilder on March 8, but his match was later altered when Wilder suffered a decision loss to Joseph Parker, leading to Ngannou stepping in as his replacement.
Francis Ngannou challenges perception of boxing as only lucrative combat sport option
Francis Ngannou refuted the notion that boxing is the only lucrative avenue in combat sports.
According to reports, the former UFC heavyweight champion is set to pocket around $20 million in his upcoming match against Anthony Joshua, which is the highest fight purse 'The Predator' has ever received.
Ngannou argues that MMA also offers substantial earnings, challenging the widespread belief that it is a less financially rewarding option compared to boxing.
During an interview on the SiriusXM Fight Nation podcast last month, the host suggested to 'The Predator' that he should consider returning to MMA after his fight with Joshua. Ngannou responded:
"Yeah, I like everything you said except the fact that you said, 'Go get your money'. MMA has money too. I think you guys are being educated that MMA doesn't have money, and I'm going to come back to grab some of it."
Check out Francis Ngannou's comments below: