Francis Ngannou shares bold first prediction for Anthony Joshua fight, compares opponent with Tyson Fury

Francis Ngannou recently weighed in on his upcoming boxing match against Anthony Joshua and compared 'AJ' to his previous opponent Tyson Fury.

The former UFC heavyweight champion is set to face Joshua in a blockbuster 10-round boxing match on March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The bout was announced two weeks after the Englishman dispatched Otto Wallin via TKO on the 'Day of Reckoning' card, where Deontay Wilder shockingly suffered an upset decision loss to Joseph Parker.

Due to Wilder losing, his next-planned opponent, Joshua, decided to move on and face Ngannou next instead. 'The Predator' is notably coming off a controversial split-decision loss to WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, who's slated to fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship against Oleksandr Usyk on Feb. 17.

During the Fury-Ngannou fight, the Cameroonian stunned fans with his skills and even scored a knockdown on the Englishman. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Ngannou compared Joshua to Fury and predicted a statement victory on March 8. He said:

"How I win on March 8? It doesn't matter. I think, most likely, I will knock Anthony Joshua out. I think he's easier to go down than Fury, not like he's not a strong fighter. He's a very tough fighter, but he's easier to send down than Fury, and it's harder for him to get back up than Fury."

Watch the full interview below:

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Eddie Hearn on the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou boxing match

Matchroom Boxing frontman Eddie Hearn recently shared his thoughts on the highly anticipated Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou boxing match. The veteran promoter backed 'AJ' to dominate the former UFC champion.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Hearn gave Ngannou his flowers for making a splash in the boxing world. However, he denied that the Cameroonian stood a chance against Joshua and predicted the Englishman to pick up a dominant victory. He said:

"Obviously delighted, just a great fight... I feel like he’s [ Francis Ngannou ] earned that shot... You’ve heard me say this before, I really believe AJ knocks him out. But he’s a dangerous fight. I know that this guy’s a big, big lump that can really punch, and I think he has no fear, which makes him dangerous. But I just feel like AJ’s in a great place, and I expect him to pick him apart and knock him out."

Watch the full interview below: