'A very close fight!' - Ngannou torn on Fury-Joshua favourite

NEW YORK — Francis Ngannou’s boxing experience included sharing the ring with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua less than five months apart from fall 2023 to roughly spring 2024.

So, if Fury and Joshua wind up finally having their highly-anticipated mega fight, who does Ngannou expect to win?

“I think [either] can win,” Ngannou told DAZN News amidst a pool of reporters at Palladium Times Square in New York City on Wednesday. “It’s going to be a very close fight.”

Ngannou was on location for Most Valuable Promotions’ press conference as he will fight Brazilian heavyweight Philipe Lins on May 16 in a card headlined by the return to mixed martial arts of Ronda Rousey, who clashes with combat sports pioneer Gina Carano.

As Ngannou thought about the prospect of Fury vs. AJ some more, he started to perhaps lean toward ‘The Gypsy King,’ heaping praises on the British fighter.

“We all know that Fury is very slick,” Ngannou continued telling DAZN News. “I think he’s a guy that he’s been giving boxers a very hard time. Maybe when you’re an unorthodox guy, he cannot figure out, but he figures boxers out pretty easily.”

Ngannou was able to incredibly drop Fury with a looping left hand in their October 2023 boxing bout before the former unified heavyweight world champion was able to recover enough to score a split-decision win.

The next May, the former UFC heavyweight titleholder did not have as good of a showing against Joshua, feeling every bit of AJ’s power in a devastating second-round knockout loss. The event, appropriately titled "KNOCKOUT CHAOS" left Ngannou motionless on the canvas in a tense moment before getting back to his feet.

Ngannou, who maintained that he’d love to run it back with Fury, has not returned to boxing since.

Ngannou’s faring against Fury, and possibly leaning toward him over Joshua, speaks to the sweet science skills ‘The Gypsy King’ is renowned for.

The same can be said for his destruction at the hands of Joshua, who counts 29 of his 33 wins by stoppage flexing world-class knockout artistry.

Would boxing fans and critics be treated to Fury outpointing Joshua if and when the two finally collide? Or would Joshua stop his fellow Brit in demolishing fashion?

Perhaps, Ngannou’s personal experiences with both can serve as more than just a rearview mirror.

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