‘Gangster AF’: Pros react to Francis Ngannou booking Anthony Joshua fight

Francis Ngannou is back at it again.

The former UFC heavyweight champion is set to face two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua later this year in a blockbuster 10-round boxing match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. An official date for the bout has yet to be announced, however a kickoff press conference is already slated for January 15 in London.

It’s yet another massive coup for Ngannou, who made his professional boxing debut with a stunning performance against Tyson Fury this past October. Despite being universally counted out for the bout, Ngannou gave Fury one of the toughest tests of his boxing career, dropping the lineal heavyweight king in the third round before ultimately losing a controversial split decision. Ngannou’s longtime representative Marquel Martin told MMA Fighting in November that “The Predator” earned “multiples upon multiples upon multiples” more for the Fury bout than he did as UFC heavyweight champion.

Now Ngannou is set for another monster payday in his second sport. Check out reaction to Friday’s news and the Joshua vs. Ngannou announcement below.

Making big moves in the new year ♟️
2024 is going to be

— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) January 5, 2024

Francis Ngannou fighting Anthony Joshua in his 2nd boxing match its gangster af!

He’s fighting guys who won’t even fight each other pic.twitter.com/UujW6qvsJ4

— Megan Anderson (@MeganAnderson) January 5, 2024

Fair play to Francis ngannou, two heavyweight top dogs back to back

— Arnold billy allen (@Arnoldbfa) January 5, 2024

Francis Ngannou is one of the greatest sports stories ever.

— Sean O’Connell (@realOCsports) January 5, 2024