Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn has revealed the winner of Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight bout in opposition to Francis Ngannou will face the victor of the undisputed heavyweight championship showdown between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. Joshua and Ngannou are set to sq. off on March 8, whereas Fury and Usyk will get pleasure from their highly-anticipated conflict in May.

Defeat for Joshua would finally derail his profession, and undo the latest wins which have elevated the Brit again into the world title dialog. Joshua is reportedly in line to obtain an IBF world title shot in opposition to Filip Hrgovic ought to the belt be vacated by the winner of the four-belt shootout in favor of a rematch as anticipated. 

However, Joshua might not even have to go down such a route. According to Hearn, Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Entertainment, is trying to schedule a gathering between the winner of Joshua-Ngannou in opposition to whoever emerges victorious from Fury and Usyk’s undisputed assembly.

“His Excellency said the winner of this fight faces the winner of Fury-Usyk,” Hearn advised the MMA Hour on Monday night time. “That is a dream chance for us because we chased that for so long.

“AJ is going to beat Francis Ngannou, and then he’s going to beat the winner of Fury-Usyk, and he’s going to become the undisputed heavyweight world champion.”

If Ngannou sensationally wins, he would observe in Ukrainian star Vasiliy Lomachenko's footsteps in securing a world title battle in solely his second skilled outing. However, Ngannou isn't a embellished beginner boxer; he's a former UFC heavyweight champion with no boxing expertise who has someway emerged as a contender.

Ngannou was some of the distinguished figures in fight sports activities throughout 2023, regardless of solely preventing as soon as. He walked away from the UFC because the reigning heavyweight champion and practically secured an unbelievable win over WBC champion Fury in his skilled boxing debut.

Back in October, Ngannou surprised the world as he got here agonisingly near a dramatic upset win over Fury. The former UFC heavyweight champion fought Fury within the crossover occasion and impressed immensely; regardless of being knocked down within the third spherical, Fury - thought-about by many to be the premier heavyweight within the sport - took the outcome on factors.

Fury was scheduled to satisfy Usyk in a blockbuster conflict in February to find out the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world however, simply weeks earlier than the anticipated battle, the bout was suspended after it emerged the Gypsy King had sustained a deep gash to his eye. Fury is now scheduled to conflict with Oleksandr Usyk to turn into undisputed heavyweight champion in May.

Ngannou will face Joshua on Friday eighth March - and, ought to he win, the Cameroonian hopes to safe a rematch with Fury within the close to future. Perhaps it comes as with the undisputed heavyweight titles on the road.