Former UFC fighter Dan Hardy is picking Francis Ngannou to upset Anthony Joshua on March 8th in their 10-round heavyweight match-up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Hardey feels the punching power of Ngannou will “rattle” Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) “psychologically” and will be a shock to the 34-year-old fighter in their headliner on PPV at the Kingdom Arena.
Joshua’s History of Vulnerability
Joshua has not been hit by anyone with the kind of power that Ngannou possesses since his fight against 40-year-old Wladimir Klitschko in 2017, and he tasted the canvas in that match.
Most would agree that Wladimir let Joshua off the hook after dropping him hard in the sixth, and having him walking around in a stupor from rounds seven through ten. If Ngannou hurts Joshua, he’ll go for the coup de grace and finish him.
Fury vs. Joshua Dream Match in Peril
A loss for Joshua here would be the final nail in the coffin of AJ and promoter Eddie Hearn’s hopes of an all-British heavyweight money-making clash against WBC champion Tyson Fury, who is facing Oleksandr Usyk on May 18th.
Hearn has been banging the drum for a fight between Joshua and Fury for years. Now that it’s on the cusp of happening with AJ being given a relatively soft opponent, it could evaporate under the powerful fists of Ngannou on March 8th.
It would be sad but somehow fitting, a lesson to be taught to wily promoters who slyly match vulnerable fighters carefully to keep them away from talented oppoisition.
Hearn has done a man’s job by bringing Joshua back from the brink of career implosion after his back-to-back losses to Usyk. Still, he can’t avoid matching him against Ngannou, considering this is a guy His Excellency Turki Alalshikh picked.
Ngannou’s Power Will be a “Shock to the System”
“I’m going with Ngannou genuinely,” former UFC fighter Dan Hardy told Sky Sports, picking Francis Ngannou to defeat the former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on March 8th.
“This, for me, is a much better match-up for Ngannou. I feel like AJ’s easier to hit, easier to rattle psychologically, and I feel like because of the unknown commodity of Francis Ngannou, there’s going to be a shock to the system.”
“There’s an unquantifiable power about Ngannou, and that’s concerning because he can punch through a decent guard. I feel like AJ’s going to feel punches coming through his guard, and they’re going to surprise him because Ngannou will let them go and try and really hurt him.”