Eddie Hearn, the British boxing promoter, has confirmed that he recently met with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou over lunch to discuss a potential fight with his client, Anthony Joshua. Hearn was impressed by Ngannou’s story and described it as “remarkable”.
Ngannou has said that he wants to make the transition to boxing, and has called out some of the top heavyweight boxers, including Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder and Joshua. Earlier this year, he verbally agreed to a hybrid boxing bout with Fury, but nothing came of it. Now, Hearn has thrown Joshua’s hat into the ring.
Hearn acknowledged Ngannou’s ability in boxing, but said that in technical terms, he is unlikely to be able to compete with any top-20 heavyweight. However, he also acknowledged that Ngannou is a formidable puncher and would have a chance of knocking out any of the top heavyweights.
Hearn also expressed his admiration for Ngannou’s story and character, saying that he found him to be a fascinating person. He said he would love to do something with him in the future.
It remains to be seen whether a fight between Joshua and Ngannou will take place, but it would certainly be a spectacle. Ngannou’s raw power and athleticism, combined with Joshua’s speed and technical ability, would make for an exciting match-up.
