If there were any doubts about British boxing superstar Anthony Joshua’s abilities, he quickly dispelled them with a thunderous knockout of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Joshua’s dominant performance included two knockdowns before delivering the final blow in less than two rounds.
Joshua, a former holder of three of the four recognized titles in the division, sent a clear message to Tyson Fury, who was ringside for the bout. Fury had a tough time against Ngannou last October, suffering a knockdown before securing a split decision win. Joshua now awaits the outcome of the Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight before planning his next move. Notably, Joshua lost his titles to Usyk in two decision defeats in 2021 and 2022.
Ngannou did not give a post-fight interview, which has become customary after such devastating knockouts. However, he posted a statement on social media expressing gratitude for the support despite his defeat.
On the same fight card, Joseph Parker claimed a majority decision victory over Zhilei Zhang in the co-main event, earning the WBO interim title. Rey Vargas managed to retain his WBC featherweight title after a split draw with Nick Ball.
CBS Sports provided comprehensive coverage leading up to the fight, including news, features, and betting advice. Stay tuned for more exciting updates in the world of boxing.
**Fight card results:**
– Anthony Joshua defeated Francis Ngannou via second-round knockout
– Joseph Parker defeated Zhilei Zhang (c) via majority decision
– Rey Vargas (c) vs. Nick Ball ended in a split draw
– Israil Madrimov (c) defeated Magomed Kubranov via fifth-round TKO
– Mark Chamberlain defeated Gavin Gwynne via fourth-round TKO
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