Eddie Hearn has set his sights on arranging a monumental showdown between Anthony Joshua and the explosive Francis Ngannou. However, boxing enthusiasts are questioning Hearn's intentions, wondering if this is merely another instance of clout-chasing, designed to divert attention towards Joshua (whose career has recently hit a rough patch) by dropping Ngannou's name. Yet, if Hearn's intentions are genuine, this potential clash could be a massive revenue generator and a chance for Joshua to rejuvenate his career, potentially leading to a mega-fight against the winner of the Fury vs. Usyk undisputed championship.
In an ideal scenario, Joshua's path to redemption would involve triumphing over four formidable heavyweights, culminating in a remarkable comeback:
Francis Ngannou
Tyson Fury
Deontay Wilder
Oleksandr Usyk
Conquering this quartet would undoubtedly mark one of the most astonishing career turnarounds in boxing history, as many have already written Joshua off as past his prime. "I have to speak to the boss, but I like AJ-Ngannou. For me, light work," stated Eddie Hearn.
Should Hearn follow through and create this matchup, Ngannou would be more than willing to step into the ring with Joshua. "I know I talked about the levels of Francis Ngannou, and I have to be honest," said Hearn. "I'm not going to stand here and say, 'I think he's a world-class heavyweight, but you have to respect that he just beat Tyson Fury. I guess you can say it was a close fight, but everyone thought that Ngannou won."
Fury's unexpected loss to the relatively inexperienced Ngannou has sent shockwaves through the boxing and MMA communities. It's an unkind blow to Fury's reputation, positioning him as the butt of jokes after being defeated by a fighter with no previous boxing experience. This loss solidifies the belief that Fury was always overhyped, with a lackluster record and an absence of impressive opponents.
"The fight wasn't the greatest in the world, but Francis Ngannou won. This is not a dream, or he should have been given the decision," remarked Hearn. Fury's defeat will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on his psyche as he gears up for his undisputed showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.
Hearn believes this outcome was unfortunate for Fury but not for boxing as a whole. Instead, it exposes the protection provided by Fury's promoters, who carefully managed his career. Fury received favorable scoring in his first bout with John McDermott and escaped stoppages in his initial and third fights with Deontay Wilder when he was clearly knocked out.