{"id":116204,"date":"2023-11-03T10:53:31","date_gmt":"2023-11-03T10:53:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/11\/03\/francis-ngannou-fight-an-option-for-anthony-joshua-says-eddie-hearn\/"},"modified":"2023-11-03T10:53:31","modified_gmt":"2023-11-03T10:53:31","slug":"francis-ngannou-fight-an-option-for-anthony-joshua-says-eddie-hearn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/11\/03\/francis-ngannou-fight-an-option-for-anthony-joshua-says-eddie-hearn\/","title":{"rendered":"Francis Ngannou fight an option for Anthony Joshua, says Eddie Hearn"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Francis Ngannou (right) is a “credible” opponent for Anthony Joshua, according to Eddie Hearn
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Anthony Joshua could fight MMA star Francis Ngannou in a boxing match, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.<\/p>\n

Ngannou almost stunned WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on his professional boxing debut, losing on a\u00a0controversial split decision\u00a0in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

Hearn revealed he has exchanged messages with the Cameroon-born fighter\u2019s camp following that bout.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAs we start to plan AJ\u2019s next six to 12 months we just want to know if that is an option,\u201d Hearn told the BBC.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could have that event in Saudi Arabia or other countries in the Middle East. Africa sounds incredible \u2013 can they come up with the money to do it? I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of a sudden that fight between two giants, they\u2019re carved out of stone, it becomes a massive fight. We\u2019re definitely willing to consider it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite being the underdog, former UFC fighter Ngannou, 37, knocked down Fury in the third round and convinced one of the judges he was the winner.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe MMA world believe Ngannou beats everyone,\u201d Hearn told BBC Radio 5 Live.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I met Ngannou he was trying to pitch me AJ against Ngannou in Africa. I spoke to AJ about it at the time and he said \u2018I want to try to win the world heavyweight championship now\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said \u2018this guy was close to beating Tyson Fury so he surely has to be a credible fight\u2019. The MMA world are telling me Ngannou beats AJ easily. I\u2019m like \u2018please make the fight because that\u2019s not the case\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearn says Fury v Ngannou has made him even more certain two-time heavyweight champion Joshua, 34, would beat his fellow Briton if they ever fought.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been convinced AJ beats Tyson Fury but after watching that fight now I\u2019m so sure,\u201d said Hearn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t believe his punch resistance is quite the same, I don\u2019t believe he is necessarily the same fighter. Maybe the fights with Deontay Wilder took something out of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

An undisputed fight between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk was scheduled for 23 December, but\u00a0BBC Sport understands that is now doubtful,\u00a0with the Briton\u2019s team keen for the bout to take place in February after his hard-fought win over Ngannou.<\/p>\n

However, Joshua is still hoping to fight just before Christmas.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s seven weeks on Saturday. AJ wants to fight on 23 December,\u201d said Hearn. \u201cWe appreciate it won\u2019t be a mega-fight. He wanted to box three times this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benn could fight Eubank in January<\/h3>\n

Hearn said last month\u00a0there was \u201ca huge desire from both camps\u201d to make a Conor Benn-Chris Eubank Jr fight happen.<\/p>\n

The pair were set to meet 12 months ago \u2013 30 years after their fathers Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Sr fought \u2013 but the bout was cancelled after Benn failed two voluntary doping tests.<\/p>\n

Benn does not currently have a licence to fight in the UK.<\/p>\n

In his latest interview, Hearn said: \u201cEubank [v Benn] looks like 27 January so there\u2019s a chance AJ could go early January.\u201d<\/p>\n

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