Watch Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou face off for first time

15/01/2024 19:09

Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou just got their first good look at each other.

The hulking heavyweight stars faced off following a press conference Monday in London for their March 8 boxing match.

Watch the staredown below.

This is the first time that Joshua and Ngannou have come face to face since their match was announced earlier this month. The two engaged in a serious staredown, but other than that the former champions appeared to be cordial with one another.

Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) seeks another marquee win after five-round drubbing of Otto Wallin this past December. The British standout has won three straight fights to bounce back from a pair of losses to Oleksandr Usyk, which saw Joshua lose his WBA, IBF, WBO, and The Ring titles.

This will be just the second boxing bout for Ngannou (17-3 MMA), a former UFC heavyweight champion. Ngannou parted ways with the UFC in January 2023 and later signed with the PFL, with the option to pursue a boxing career. He did so this past October, making his boxing debut against Tyson Fury.

Ngannou put on a stunning performance against Fury, knocking him down in Round 3 and falling just short via split decision.

Joshua vs. Ngannou takes place March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.