UFC heavyweight and Tyson Fury's former training partner talks Francis Ngannou's chances against Anthony Joshua
Tom Aspinall has weighed in on Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou.
'The Predator' is currently set to face 'AJ' on March 8, in Saudi Arabia. For the former UFC heavyweight champion, the bout will be his second career boxing match. Last October, Ngannou nearly upset the dominant Tyson Fury.
One of the key men who trained with 'The Gypsy King' for that fight was UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. The British MMA fighter has been friends with Fury for years now. While he doesn't always spar with the boxer, the two have had many great rounds together.
It's likely because of that that he believes that Fury was off last October. Speaking in a recent interview with Matchroom Boxing, Aspinall was asked about Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou. While he praised the PFL star, he also stated that 'AJ' will likely do better than Fury did.
That's both due to a combination of Joshua taking the bout more seriously than Fury did and also that they have a film of Ngannou. When asked for a prediction, Aspinall picked his fellow countryman to win but admitted:
"I mean, I would love Ngannou to win it because of his story. Not because he's an MMA fighter and such... I'm a fan of both guys, but 'AJ' being a U.K. guy, I'd sway towards 'AJ'. But you can't help be a fan of Ngannou, he just seems like the ultimate underdog in life."
Check out his comments below (5:00):
Who is currently expected to win Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou?
Tom Aspinall believes Anthony Joshua will likely win, and he's not alone.
While 'The Predator' nearly upset Tyson Fury in his first-ever boxing match, many don't feel that the British boxer took the bout seriously. That's aided by figures such as John Fury, who have said as much.
However, others, including Fury's sparring partner Sol Dacres, have stated the opposite. While a great performance last October, it's clear that boxing fans don't believe that Francis Ngannou will be able to replicate it in March.
Aspinall called the PFL heavyweight the ultimate underdog, and that's once again the case here. According to the current betting line from MGM, Joshua is currently a -500 favorite to win on March 8. Meanwhile, Ngannou returns as a sizeable +350 underdog.
The odds show that, once again, fans are doubting Ngannou. However, if there's a man who can beat the odds once again, it would be him.