Anthony Joshua is set to take on former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia, as announced by promotional teams Matchroom and Queensberry. The fight, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia, will confirm its date next week, with a press conference scheduled for January 15 in London.
Joshua, who recently secured a five-round win over Otto Wallin on December 23, had initially planned to fight Deontay Wilder. However, Wilder’s loss to Joseph Parker on the same card led to the new matchup with Ngannou. Ngannou, known for knocking down Tyson Fury in his first professional boxing fight last October, is currently ranked in the WBC’s top 10 heavyweight contenders.
Following his victory against Wallin, Joshua expressed his willingness to face any opponent, stating, “I’m down to fight anyone. Whenever and whoever.” Other potential opponents considered for Joshua’s next fight included Filip Hrgovic, the IBF mandatory challenger, and Zhilei Zhang.
The bout between Joshua and Ngannou comes after Saudi Arabia successfully hosted major heavyweight fights, with Tyson Fury set to face Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed world title fight on February 17. Charlie Wyett of The Sun believes that Ngannou is the right opponent for Joshua, given the circumstances, and anticipates the fight to take place around March 9.