Former sparring partner reveals prediction for Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou

Matty Harris has offered his thoughts on Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou.

On March 8 in Saudi Arabia, 'AJ' and 'The Predator' will clash. The two will headline a DAZN pay-per-view event, with the winner set to potentially face the winner of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk later this year.

One man who knows both heavyweights very well is 'Magic'. Harris is a former sparring partner for not only Joshua but also Ngannou. With that in mind, it's safe to say that his opinion on the matchup would matter quite a bit.

In a recent interview with Seconds Out, Matty Harris discussed Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou. There, the 5-1 heavyweight contender predicted that the British boxer would emerge victorious. However, Harris also added a few warnings about Ngannou.

According to the 24-year-old heavyweight, the PFL heavyweight is tremendously strong in the clinch. Harris also opined that Tyson Fury was likely just as shocked as he was when grabbed by Ngannou.

Speaking in the interview, Harris stated (via Boxing Social):

“AJ goes through him. The thing with Ngannou, that is quite challenging I suppose, is his physical strength... You know when you first clash with someone, you get into that first clinch, I imagine that might have caught Fury by surprise... I remember when he grabbed me during a spar, in a little bit of a clinch, and I had never felt like such a victim in all of my life.”

Check out his comments below (15:00)

---

Eddie Hearn offers prediction for Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou

Eddie Hearn would likely agree with Matty Harris' assessment of Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou.

The head of Matchroom Boxing famously labeled Ngannou's boxing debut last fall a "gimmick fight". However, after watching the MMA fighter nearly upset Tyson Fury, he knew that he was the real deal.

Speaking in a recent interview with Seconds Out, Hearn was asked about Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou. There, the promoter unsurprisingly picked the British boxer to emerge with the win. Given their close friendship, that's not a huge surprise.

However, Hearn also won't be relieved until the bout is over. Much like Matty Harris, the promoter is a bit weary of Ngannou's power. Speaking in the interview, Hearn stated:

“I expect Joshua to do a job on him but I do expect him [Ngannou] to be dangerous, it’s just going to be one of them [relieving moments] when it is over."

Check out his comments below: