Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: Main card start time, main event walkouts, and everything else you need to know

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou is one of the biggest heavyweight boxing matches of the year.

Naturally, countless fight fans from both MMA and boxing will be tuning in to watch the two knockout artists wage war at the event, which takes place next Friday on March 8.

While American fans of combat sports are generally accustomed to fights taking place on Saturdays, the actual start time of the main card will come as an even greater shock. The event is set to begin in the morning at 10:30 AM ET (Eastern Time)/7:30 AM PT (Pacific Time).

As for the main event itself, walkouts are expected to take place much later at 6:10 PM ET/3:30 PM PT.

For those who won't be in Riyadh to watch the fights in person, the card will be available on DAZN.com. The headliner will see Francis Ngannou make his second attempt at winning a professional boxing match, given his failure to hand Tyson Fury his first-ever defeat in a controversial bout last year.

The former UFC heavyweight champion will take on another Englishman in former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua. Below them is another heavyweight bout, this time between reigning WBO interim heavyweight champion Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker, who recently defeated Deontay Wilder.

Elsewhere on the card, Reyes Vargas will look to defend his WBC featherweight title against Nick Ball. Meanwhile, Israel Madrimov and Magomedov Kurbanov lock horns for the vacant WBA super welterweight strap. Other bouts include Gavin Wynne vs. Mark Chamberlain at lightweight.

There is more heavyweight action, too, with Justis Huni vs. Kevin Lerena. Meanwhile a return to super welterweight is there in the form of Jack McGann vs. Louis Green. Meanwhile, Roman Fury is still awaiting an opponent for a cruiserweight bout.

Lastly the event's first two matches will be a super lightweight clash between Ziyad Almaayouf and Christian Loopes Flores and yet another heavyweight bout, this one featuring Andrii Novytskyi and Juan Torres.

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Who will Francis Ngannou face upon his return to MMA?

The ideal opponent for Francis Ngannou in MMA is widely seen as Jon Jones. However, that bout seems as though it will never happen, regardless of both men's desire to face one another.

This past weekend, 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira knocked Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader out cold to stamp his claim.

He is the expected opponent for Ngannou's return to MMA. However, exactly when 'The Predator' will enter the SmartCage for the first is unknown. But it has been assured that he will indeed fight in the PFL.