Dan Hardy likes Francis Ngannou’s chances against Anthony Joshua.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou (0-1) takes on former heavyweight boxing champion Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) in a 10-round boxing match March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ngannou battled Tyson Fury to a close split decision in his boxing debut this past October, when he was able to knock down the WBC champ.
Ngannou’s performance shocked the combat sports world, but Hardy said Joshua knows what he’s up against now.
“This is the benefit in AJ going second,” Hardy told TNT Sports Boxing. “There isn’t the surprise factor around Ngannou. Of course, you have to expect him to have made improvements, but the big surprise was how he was going to look the first time. AJ knows that now. The other thing, as well, AJ is not going to show up halfway through a training camp not fully prepared.
“He’s going to give Ngannou all of the respect he deserves. So, I expect a very supremely conditioned Anthony Joshua that’s quite cautious. He’s going to be working behind his lead hand, and he’s going to be keeping that rear hand super tight to his chin. I don’t think he’s going to step outside of himself too much until he really feels like he’s got a good read on Ngannou.”
Joshua went 3-0 in 2023, capping off the year with a fifth-round TKO of Otto Wallin in December. With Ngannou able to stun Fury with a knockdown, Hardy expects his power to pose even bigger problems for Joshua.
“Tyson is a much more difficult person to hit than AJ,” Hardy said. “For me, AJ pushes really well behind his jab, but he leaves himself in range. That’s where the counter punches for Ngannou, even if they are landing on the guard, I still think he’s going to be able to rock him and move him around, and then, of course, the psychological impact of, ‘My goodness, this guy hits really hard.’
“Then you clinch up with him, and he’s incredibly strong, as well. There are a couple different moments in these opening rounds where AJ could really start to panic when he realizes what he’s up against, and I don’t think he’s got the composure that Tyson had to at least hold it together for 10 rounds.”
Hardy is picking Ngannou to upset Joshua.
“I thought Tyson was going to do the last one, and I still feel like Ngannou won that fight,” Hardy said. “I feel like it’s a much more winnable fight for Ngannou, and I am going to back him in this one.”
