Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou set for eight-figure paydays as Forbes predicts massive fight purses

07/01/2024 15:28

Official confirmation of Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou has triggered speculation about how much money they'll earn.

It was revealed on Friday night that the former two-time heavyweight boxing champion will face the ex-UFC titleholder in Saudi Arabia on March 8.

At the start of 2023, Ngannou faced 'fumbled the bag' claims after he turned down a three-fight, $8 million deal (£6.29M), and left MMA's premier promotion in search of bigger paydays elsewhere.

'The Predator' first silenced his critics by signing a lucrative MMA contract with the Professional Fighters League [PFL] before announcing a big boxing bout against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

Ngannou made a reported $10 million (£7.86M) for his fight with Fury in October 2023, a figure that was confirmed by 'The Gypsy King' in a press conference ahead of the fight in October.  

The 37-year-old dropped Fury and almost sprung a monumental upset in his boxing debut before finding himself on the wrong end of a controversial split decision verdict after 10 rounds.

Regardless, Ngannou was the event's big winner as he earned tons of credit, a new career in boxing, and a purse worth more than all 14 of his UFC fights combined.

Now, he is set to make even more money for his fight with Joshua.

Ngannou's manager, Marquel Martin, told Sports Business Journal that his star client will make much more than $10 million (£7.86M) when he takes on AJ.

He said: "Francis is the baddest man on the planet and his pay reflects it. And the best part is he's earned every penny. [I] couldn't be more happy for him."

Forbes predicts Ngannou will make $20 million (£15.72M), and that's before pay-per-view sales and sponsorships kick in to potentially provide him with an even bigger payday.

The American business magazine was less precise with its prediction for Joshua's purse but did confidently state that the Englishman will be earning more than his opponent on fight night.

According to his friend and former three-time opponent, Derek Chisora, Fury made $50 million (£39.29M) for his fight with Ngannou, but that figure has never been confirmed by the man himself.

Forbes believe Joshua asked for a similar number and will make more than $20 million (£15.72M) after ruthlessly stopping Otto Wallin during his last trip to Saudi.  

A win over Ngannou will set him up for a shot at the IBF heavyweight title, which is expected to become vacant after Fury and Oleksandr Usyk clash on February 17.