RIYADH (AFP) – Francis Ngannou once toiled in a sand mine, scavenged for food to avoid starvation and slept rough in a car park, so facing former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua tonight is just another stop on his epic rags-to-riches journey.
Many scoffed when he opted to make his boxing debut against world champion Tyson Fury in the so-called ‘Battle of the Baddest’ in October last year.
The doubters were silenced, however, when Ngannou sent Fury to the canvas in the third round before losing only on a controversial split decision.
On Friday, he will return to Riyadh to face 34-year-old Joshua whose career could be fatally holed if he loses. “Of course I can knock Joshua out,” said Ngannou. “I believe if I land on anyone, I will knock them out. The question is how to land? That’s the hardest thing.”
