Anthony Joshua has been quizzed about his past opponent Francis Ngannou, ahead of his upcoming fight with Jake Paul.
Joshua hasn’t been in the ring for more than a year, and has taken his time to select his return opponent. Few people predicted it would be the novice pro Paul, who has had just 13 fights against a carefully selected list of ageing boxers and converted MMA fighters.
He has lost just once, and that was to Tommy Fury, arguably the most legitimate opponent he has faced, though he has beaten the likes of Mike Tyson, Ryan Bourland and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Joshua is a former two-time unified heavyweight ruler who packs a huge punch, though he has been without a title since 2021 when he lost the first of two fights to Oleksandr Usyk.
The rematch went the same way, then he rebuilt with four good wins over Otto Wallin, Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius and Ngannou before losing by KO to Daniel Dubois last September for the IBF belt.
Joshua beat former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou by second round knockout when they met in March 2024, and speaking to Fight Hype, ‘AJ’ was asked which of his last six opponents Paul might be able to beat.
“Maybe Ngannou. That’s a fight you might see in the future. It’s a good question, I swear to you I was asking myself that yesterday. I wonder how some of the fighters I’ve fought would get on with Jake.”
There can be no faulting Paul’s bravery in taking this challenge, but few are expecting the American to get the win by any method come fight night in December.
