Take two authentic knockout artists in Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou, light the touch paper, then stand back – way back. On March 8, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, fight fans will be treated to a potentially thunderous collision dubbed “Knockout Chaos”.
The 10-round bout, plus undercard action, will be broadcast by DAZN in the U.S.
Heavyweights come in all shapes and sizes, with each of them possessing their own signature attributes and skills. However, the one thing that Joshua and Ngannou have in common is home run hitting power, which is why this matchup has caught the public’s imagination.
WATCH: Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou, live on DAZN
Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) is arguably the biggest puncher in heavyweight boxing outside of ex-champ Deontay Wilder. During his career, the Englishman has scored five-first round knockouts and over half of his wins have come in three rounds or less.
Ngannou (0-1) burst onto the world scene with the most memorable pro boxing debut in history. In October, the man who reportedly carries the world’s hardest punch, decked WBC champion Tyson Fury before dropping a razor-thin split decision to “The Gypsy King” in Riyadh. It was a performance that defied all expectations.
Both AJ and Ngannou have excellent punching technique. However, one of the main reasons why both men are powerful hitters is because of their freakish strength and matchless physicality. The Sporting News assesses the sum of their respective parts:
How old are AJ and Ngannou?
AJ is 34 years old and has been boxing professionally for over 10 years. In his career, he’s twice held IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles.
Ngannou is 37 and has been involved in combat sports since he was a teenager. He competed in the UFC from 2015 to 2021 and held the UFC heavyweight championship.
Both men are considered veterans in combat sports.
What height are AJ and Ngannou?
Joshua is 6ft 6ins, with Ngannou two inches shorter at 6ft 4ins.
MORE: Are AJ and Ngannou among hardest punchers ever?
How heavy are AJ and Ngannou?
Joshua fluctuates between 240 and 255 pounds. In his most recent bout, the former two-time unified champion came in at 251 pounds for Otto Wallin, whom he pulverised in five rounds.
For the Fury fight, Ngannou weighed in at a hulking 272 pounds.
Expect both men to weigh approximately the same at Thursday’s weigh in.
Who has the longer reach, AJ or Ngannou?
Joshua has a large reach for a heavyweight at 82 inches. However, Ngannou’s wingspan is actually one inch longer at 83.
For comparison purposes, Tyson Fury has an 85-inch reach, while Oleksandr Usyk measures 78 inches.
WATCH: Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou, live on DAZN
Who punches the hardest, AJ or Ngannou?
Joshua has a formidable knockout ratio of 89%. That is one of the best in elite-level boxing.
Ngannou has yet to score a knockout in pro boxing, but he’s only had one fight. His UFC stats are eye popping, with 12 of 13 stoppage wins coming via a single punch or combinations.
What stance do AJ and Ngannou fight out of?
Joshua and Ngannou are orthodox fighters.
AJ boxes exclusively out of the right-handed stance. However, Ngannou switched to southpaw on several occasions during the Fury fight.
Switching stance is a far more common practice in MMA than it is in boxing.