Francis Ngannou called Anthony Joshua’s justification for his Deafeat…
explanations for his brutal knockout loss to Anthony Joshua.In their bout earlier this month, Joshua twice submitted former UFC champion Ngannou before “AJ” brought the show to a close with a devastating right hand in the second round. Since then, Ngannou has offered a long variety of justifications for his loss, including attributing his exhaustion to arriving late to the Saudi Arabian arena.
“I recall trying to warm up in the locker room, but it wasn’t working very well. I was nodding off. I was dozing off, but I’m sweating. I arrived there [the arena] at least an hour in advance for whatever reason, after receiving a schedule and an email. But at least two hours before the fight. Ngannou remarked, “They use this kind of tactic to make you tired.”
Francis Ngannou was defeated by Anthony Joshua on Friday.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – MARCH 08: On March 8, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Anthony Joshua hits Francis Ngannou during their heavyweight bout on the Knockout Chaos boxing card at the Kingdom Arena. Picture courtesy of Richard Pelham/Getty Images (Photo credit: Getty Images)
Hearn told Boxing Social, in response to Ngannou’s remarks, “I was perplexed. Really, it is a little underwhelming. “They got him to the arena (early),” he claimed. Who are they? The broadcaster gives you time slots. He said that he was forced to be at the arena early in order to exhaust himself before the battle. Considering that he is a novice boxer, he ought to know better.
“You choose the best time for you to attend, which is the one that the broadcaster or organizer would like you to, after you have your time. Depending on the combatant, some prefer to arrive three hours in advance, while others prefer to arrive one hour beforehand. He’s just sitting on a sofa in a change room when you claim he’s tired. It’s comparable to the Deontay Wilder outfit [pardon].