Anthony Joshua has warned Francis Ngannou that he ‘breaks eye sockets’ and has ‘ruined careers’ ahead of their ten-rounder on Match 8.
The former UFC Champion has landed a shot against Joshua following an impressive but unsuccessful showing against Tyson Fury last year. He believes that if he lands clean on Joshua, the fight will be over.
‘AJ’ knows the risks with a puncher like Ngannou and, by all accounts, is taking it as seriously as he would any other fight. He does, however, back himself entirely.
In an interview with Boxing News he reminded fans that his power is not to be underestimated.
“But I think people underestimate me, they think they can just come and put pressure on me because I am not mentally all that or this. And as much as there is hype around Ngannou, he still has to come through me. He is looking at someone who knows how to fight.
“I am a power puncher myself. I break peoples’ eye sockets. I broke Wallin’s nose and eye socket, Helenius got sparked out, and I f***ing ruined Dillian Whyte’s career with an uppercut. The list goes on.
“He has to deal with me and that is what is going to make it a good fight.”
Joshua and Whyte met for the British Heavyweight title back in 2015, with the Olympic Gold Medalist drawn quickly into a fire fight after a tense build-up.
‘AJ’ staggered Whyte with a left hook in the first. Chaos followed when he threw a shot after the bell, leading Whyte to fight back. The teams of both men entered the ring but it was brought under control by referee Howard Foster.
‘The Bodysnatcher’ looked to turn the tide in the second and had Joshua on unsteady legs, but the future two-time world champion snatched back control and would punish Whyte in the seventh with hurtful shots before the final uppercut, as mentioned, sent him flat on his back.
Whyte built up a string of eleven victories thereafter before coming unstuck again Alexander Povetkin via a sneaky left uppercut with brutal consequences. He would also be stopped by Tyson Fury two years later, again by the same shot.
The British rivalry was set to be reignited last year before Whyte failed a doping test. He hasn’t been in the ring since.