UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has fired a warning the best way of subsequent opponent Anthony Joshua as they confronted off for the primary time at a press convention. The Cameroonian gave Tyson Fury an actual scare in his first official boxing bout and is now in search of his first win towards Joshua in March. 

The 37-year-old fighter gained a status for explosive punching throughout his MMA days and final ring opponent Fury felt the total drive of this throughout their conflict in October. Ngannou ended up on the shedding facet within the 'Battle of the Baddest' on a controversial cut up factors determination however his displaying earned him main kudos throughout the boxing group.

His efficiency on the evening in Riyadh ultimately noticed him put in because the quantity 10 heavyweight on this planet by the WBC following his slim defeat. It was subsequently introduced that the person often known as 'The Predator' had additionally earned himself a glamour battle with Joshua.

Now, it's clear that Ngannou is about on making one other contest of this newest main bout, this time towards the two-time former unified world heavyweight champion. Speaking in London, he acknowledged: "I'm just a beginner out here who is going to train really hard and come as the underdog to win the fight.

"I feel I can get this executed; I do know precisely the place I'm and I'm only a newbie, however I'm going to get higher and higher. The Tyson Fury battle was nice, it was superior however it's up to now and I've a brand new problem in entrance of me and I take it extra significantly than earlier than as a result of there's something extra on the road, most likely the undisputed.

"I do something nobody has done before; I have the tools and it starts against AJ," he teased as he went on to fireside a warning the best way of his upcoming opponent. "I am going to look for his chin. In a fight you try to hit them in the chin, I've heard he doesn't have a chin but we're going to find out."

With Ngannou clearly feeling assured forward of this newest check of his mettle following his change to boxing, it was apparent that his subsequent opponent was not thinking about participating in a customary disagreement earlier than they step foot within the ring. Instead, Joshua stays targeted on the duty at hand - however predicted an "explosive" encounter. 

He stated: "Every fight leads to somewhere, so this fight is my everything, my soul, my spirit, my mind, my body. We'll see where it leads me but at the moment I'm not thinking about championship belts or anything other than Francis. We're putting the belts on hold, I'm searching for greatness.

"He brings two arms, a physique, like each different fighter does. It's simply his thoughts that is totally different however by way of his body, he is seen individuals like me earlier than and I've seen individuals like him earlier than. It's going to be good, it'll be explosive however there are lots of methods to pores and skin a cat."

The battle was introduced simply after the flip of the yr after a potential bout between Joshua and Deontay Wilder fell aside after the latter's defeat versus Joseph Parker.