Anthony Joshua was not curiosity in “gimmick fights” towards former UFC champs.
Then Francis Ngannou proved that MMA strikers might hold with the very best on the earth by going toe-to-toe with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury last Oct. in Riyadh. Now, “AJ” is able to board the “Predator” hype train in March.
Sounds nice on paper, however former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis suggests a struggle towards Ngannou — even with a win — might backfire on Joshua, as a result of it weakens his case for the following crack on the WBC crown.
Joshua is coming off a finish over Otto Wallin in Saudi Arabia.
“If AJ beats Ngannou, which he ought to, does that elevate him to a shot at undisputed? Beating Wallin and Ngannou?” Lewis wrote on Twitter. “There’s a a lot better case for the winner of Parker vs. Zhang and if AJ will get by way of Ngannou, and Usyk wins undisputed, is the urge for food for Usyk vs. Joshua 3 on the market?”
Olympic silver medalist Zhang Zhilei battles former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker in the co-main event of the Joshua-Ngannou card, a pay-per-view (PPV) spectacle that goes down only a few weeks after Fury defends his WBC strap against Ukrainian bruiser Oleksandr Usyk.
Usyk already holds two victories over Joshua.
“If Fury turns into undisputed, the person says he’s vacating all belts however the WBC and The Ring so Fury in impact turns into final undisputed [champion] till another person can ‘Thanos’ them again collectively,” Lewis continued. “I nonetheless wish to see AJ struggle Fury and Wilder … these are large fights. However like I instructed Mike Tyson, if you happen to hold combating guys like Lou Savarese, you’ll NEVER be prepared for me.”
Anticipate boxing’s heavyweight division to get a significant shake up (for higher or worse) in only a few weeks.
