Lennox Lewis’ verdict on Anthony Joshua’s subsequent combat prompts Hearn response

Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has hit again on the final undisputed heavyweight champion of the world Lennox Lewis, after the 58-year-old criticized Anthony Joshua’s next fight against Francis Ngannou. Joshua and Ngannou will do battle in Saudi Arabia on March 8 with the two-time world heavyweight champion seeking to scale his manner again to the highest of the division’s mountain.

As for ex-UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou, he’ll get one other alternative to tackle one of many world’s greatest heavyweight boxers, after narrowly dropping to Tyson Fury final yr. Ngannou scored the one knockdown of the combat however ended up dropping on a cut up resolution.

Lewis has deemed Joshua’s combat with Ngannou as having no credibility and {that a} loss to the previous MMA star might be devastating to his comeback story. “IMO, this fight adds ZERO credibility to AJ’s resume,” Lewis mentioned on X, previously often called Twitter. “He’s SUPPOSED to win this fight and when he does, what does he gain or learn by beating someone in his second HW fight? If he loses, than [sic] it’s an absolute disaster. The same stood for Fury and it almost cost him everything.”

However, in accordance with Joshua’s promoter Hearn, what Lewis hasn’t factored in is that the winner of Joshua vs. Ngannou will go on to face the winner of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, with the title of the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world up for grabs. Lewis was the final heavyweight boxer to carry that title.

“Listen in to yesterday..the winner fights the winner of Fury v Usyk for Undisputed and when AJ joins your club I know you will be delighted for him,” Hearn responded to Lewis’ declare. Ngannou is seeking to show the doubters unsuitable with Lewis’ feedback more likely to fall into that class.

“People have always doubted me and I always proved them wrong,” mentioned Ngannou. “It is clear I am a trouble for elite boxers and AJ should prepare himself for a battle because I am like nothing he has ever faced. It is going to be another spectacle for boxing fans in Riyadh, only this time I have no intention of leaving it in the hands of the judges.”

He added: “I’m going to fight him, so what do you think I’m going to do? I’m going to look for his chin. That’s what happens in the fight. In the fight you try to hit somebody in the chin or wherever you can hit them. And then, yes, I heard that he doesn’t have a chin. I don’t know if it’s true or not. We’re going to find out. I hope I have the opportunity to test that out, that’s my wish.”

Joshua has insisted he will not be complacent towards Ngannou like his rival Fury was. “If Tyson underestimated Ngannou, I sure won’t. Francis has lost the element of surprise with me,” he said. “We knew Francis had a popularity as the most important puncher on the earth however the shock was how effectively he boxed. He was distinctive on the within and made life very sophisticated for Tyson. So a lot in order that I do belong to the opinion that he beat Fury.”