Video shows Francis Ngannou immediately after suffering knockout loss to Anthony Joshua
17/03/2024 13:00
Francis Ngannou didn't shed a tear, but he shared an embrace with his parents in the immediate aftermath of his shocking knockout loss to Anthony Joshua.
The former UFC champion turned heavyweight boxer posted the final installment of his fight week video blog, which shows what happened after he left the ring with Joshua.
Despite taking lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury to a razor-close decision in his debut, Ngannou didn't find nearly as much success in his second bout; he was knocked to the canvas three times, including a final punch that knocked him unconscious.
Reflecting on the fight, Ngannou admits it was like an out of body experience after he suffered the first knockdown in the opening round.
"Even the first time, I was quite surprised like damn, I can't be falling from this punch," Ngannou said. "The punch was hard, but I don't think it was the punch that usually would take me down."
Just a few minutes later, Joshua put Ngannou down for the final time with an overhand right that ended the fight in dramatic fashion.
"I think this is a knockout, this is a weird loss," Ngannou said. "Something that I wouldn't like to experience, but I think it will stay as a defeat only if I don't learn from it and come back from it.
"Just life, you don't make any excuse. That's what we sign up for when you come to a sport like this. You always know that there is stuff like that, that could happen.
The result certainly wasn't what Ngannou wanted but the loss won't deter him from returning for another boxing match in the future. In fact, Ngannou he he may stick around boxing a little longer to erase the bad taste from his mouth.
"What's next for me? Maybe a third boxing match," Ngannou said. "But I think now boxing owes me something now. I have to regain what boxing took from me.
"I think my ego will not let me step back and let this go like this without doing everything to restore and prove to the world that I'm the man for the job, I can do it. I slipped, but I didn't fall. I stumbled, I didn't fall."
