Former world champion Anthony Joshua will fight former UFC star, Francis Ngannou, in Saudi Arabia.
By Olisa Obi
Former heavyweight champion Joshua is set to fight Ngannou after Ngannou had lost to Tyson Fury on his professional boxing debut in October last year.
Hearn confirmed the post on his X account where he said “it’s a done deal” and added: “Anthony Joshua v Francis Ngannou collide on a huge night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.”
Joshua was set to face another former champion in Deontay Wilder after beating Otto Wallin, but the American’s loss to Joseph Parker scuppered plans for their big showdown.
Hearn also said a press conference would be held in London on 15 January with more details about the fight, while also he confirmed the the date chosen for the fight will be March 9 2024 although this could still be subject to change.
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The Cameroon-born Ngannou, was ranked the number 10 heavyweight by the WBC after he almost stunned WBC heavyweight champion Fury, losing on a controversial split decision in their Saudi Arabia no title contest.
Saudi organisers had already pencilled in a Joshua-vs-Wilder bout for this year, but Wilder’s defeat by New Zealander Parker on the same card as Briton Anthony Joshua’s win over Wallin meant a highly-anticipated mega-fight slipped away.
While no contract had been signed, the pair was expected to enter the ring post-fight and announce a deal to fight at some point in early 2024.
Meanwhile, the WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and the WBA, WBO, and IBF heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk, will fight to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999 when they finally clash on 17 February in Saudi Arabia.
Briton Fury is the WBC champion, with Ukraine’s Usyk, 36, holding the WBA, WBO, and IBF belts.
This is a long awaited fight. It has dragged on for months as a deal was earlier proposed last year.
But Fury, in what has become a norm for him, pulled out and demanded for more money, both camps have been able to agree with both champions set to clash on February this year.
