Anthony Joshua will look to stop Francis Ngannou's momentum as a boxer when they face off in Saudi Arabia on March 8. The fight airs on DAZN worldwide.
Ngannou dreamed of boxing as a child but later competed in MMA. After winning the UFC heavyweight title, Ngannou made his boxing debut in October. Knocking down WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, he impressed despite dropping a loss after many thought he had no shot against boxing's elite.
This time, Ngannou expects Joshua to be more prepared than Fury, and then some.
"I know that Anthony Joshua might come out even stronger than Tyson Fury because he knows that I can handle it," Ngannou told ESPN. "But still, I have a little bit more confidence than last time even though I know this might potentially be a harder battle because... Anthony Joshua at least knows what to prepare for."
WATCH: Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou, live on DAZN
Joshua is a former two-time heavyweight champion on a three-fight win streak. The Brit looks to hold gold again. With a resurgence in power, AJ is as determined as ever.
Ngannou is the underdog against Joshua, but not by much. And if Ngannou could manage to defy the odds, what would the future hold for him?
Francis Ngannou next fight: Will he compete in PFL?
Ngannou signed a lucrative deal with the PFL in 2023. His new contract has several perks, including a high seven-figure purse for each fight, with a minimum salary (as high as $1 million) for his opponent. He will also appear on the PFL's global advisory board and was named chairman and equity owner of PFL Africa.
However, Ngannou has yet to enter the PFL SmartCage.
Despite questions from fans and the media, Ngannou does have an opponent lined up in the PFL. Ngannou will face Renan Ferreira, the 2023 PFL heavyweight tournament winner. Ferreira secured his position by beating Ryan Bader in a PFL vs. Bellator event in February.
It is unknown when the two would fight, though a meeting this summer has been discussed. Ferreira plans on sitting out the 2024 PFL regular season to focus on Ngannou.
MORE: Breaking down Francis Ngannou's purse history
"At the moment, we will sit, and we will wait," Ferreira told MMA Fighting. "I'll get some rest. I’ve been fighting in [PFL tournaments] for three years, and it's very exhausting. I fought in November and had no rest, I had to fight in February already, so my body is tired now. I need some time to recover physically and go back to training, so I'll be waiting for this fight, quite anxiously.
"I'm very happy for this opportunity, and I hope it happens soon… I saw he had an uncomfortable smile on his face [at the fight announcement]. I think he felt this is for real, that this is a big problem for him. There's a guy coming, and he's not fooling around, he's hungry for the victory.”
If Ngannou beats Joshua, to cement the star status he secured against Fury, it may be a while before Ngannou competes in an MMA cage again. The PFL is hoping to have its star signing appear on its platform soon.
Will Francis Ngannou fight Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk winner?
The Sporting News has already mentioned that there are big plans for Joshua if he beats Ngannou. However, if Ngannou were to pull off an upset, he could be the one to face the winner of the undisputed title fight between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. That contest is on May 18.
"That is why we're here in this fight," Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports. "His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh] said to us the winner of AJ and Ngannou will fight the winner of Fury vs. Usyk."
Hearn believes Joshua can get the job done against Ngannou. But the chance to fight Fury again or a new challenge in Usyk will certainly motivate the Cameroonian.
ESPN did report that Fury-Usyk has a two-way rematch clause. That could pause any idea of the AJ-Ngannou winner immediately facing one of those champions.
MORE: 'Do you think Tyson Fury is a liar?' — Ngannou's trainer confident of shocking AJ
Will Francis Ngannou fight the rest of boxing’s heavyweight division?
If a Fury-Usyk rematch clause gets in the way, and Ngannou beats Joshua, he could face other contenders at heavyweight.
There are plenty of options, like IBF heavyweight title contender Filip Hrgovic, who will fight for the IBF belt that will become vacant with a Fury-Usyk rematch. He could also fight the winner of Zhilei Zhang vs. Joseph Parker, competing on the same card in Riyadh on March 8. They compete for the interim WBO heavyweight title, another potential path for Ngannou to fight for gold.
Ngannou could also face another hard-hitting fighter in Deontay Wilder if all else fails. Wilder lost against Parker in 2023, and his future is unknown, but a fight featuring two competitors with freakish knockout power would entice TV viewers.