Francis Ngannou shots leave fans fearing for Anthony Joshua as thuds hit wild noise level

05/03/2024 21:26

The noise from Francis Ngannou’s punches nearly hit jumbo-jet level during the open workout.

Ngannou faces Anthony Joshuaon Friday night in Riyadh on Friday night in a heavyweight contest that is eagerly anticipated across the world.

The two are renowned for their hard-hitting punches, especially Ngannou, whose knockouts in the UFC made him a heavyweight champion in 2021 against Stipe Miocic.

And the MMA legend was showing off his overbearing power in an open workout on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, delivering absolute bombs in the ring on his coach.

But what stunned fans was the noise that his shots made, sending ripples across the venue.

The sheer, shuddering power of his punches have left fans fearing the worst for AJ.

One fan said: “That mfer know how to punch.”

Another wrote: “There is no way that Joshua will win this!”

And this fan put: “Imagine four of those punches land for Joshua jaw.”

Ngannou has dealt some serious knockouts to opponents in the past, not least Alistair Overeem in 2017.

The French-Cameroonian’s brutal uppercut won Knockout of the Year, nearly sending Overeem flying.

Nevertheless, Joshua looked calm in his open workout and looked ready to do battle with Ngannou on Friday, whose only other boxing bout ended in controversial defeat to Tyson Fury.

"We were doing the promo and he was very chilled, very relaxed," Ngannou said of AJ.

"I asked him if he was OK, because he looked a little nervous or something. I asked him if he was OK, because I was OK. I had no problems. I was just talking around, laughing.

"I think we are both professional enough to know what we have to do to get to where we want to go."

Joshua, meanwhile, did not so much as look at the fans during his open workout and was asked about his cold demeanour.

"I'm here to fight,” he replied.

"I wasn't acknowledging that with all due respect, I'm here to fight."