Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury timeline set after brutal Francis Ngannou knockout

Anthony Joshua triumphed over Francis Ngannou in two rounds, knocking the MMA star down three times.

Joshua managed to do what Tyson Fury couldn't, defeating Ngannou while Fury watched from the sidelines. Last year, Fury was knocked down by the former UFC champion before scraping a win on points. However, Joshua didn't make the same mistake, knocking the Cameroonian down three times on his way to a stunning second-round victory.

Now, the two-time world champion is in the prime position to fight the winner of Fury's undisputed clash with Oleksandr Usyk. Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh, boxing's new powerbroker, hasn't hidden his wish to see Joshua vs Fury in the desert.

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If Fury manages to beat fellow champion Usyk in Saudi Arabia on May 18, many believe the all-British heavyweight clash could take place later this year. "It is what it is," Joshua said in his post-fight interview.

"On the route to the championship, you should stay focused on the road ahead. When I saw his fight with Tyson Fury, I thought, 'Damn, I want some of that'."

"Francis can come again. He is two fights in and he's fought the best. He can go a long way. "I'm going to go to my cage and I'll be let out when it's time to fight. " When asked if that means the winner of Fury vs Usyk, Joshua replied: "Yes it does"."

Last year, Joshua won three fights in nine months as he bounced back from his crushing defeats by Usyk. This was his fourth fight in the Middle East, while it was only Ngannou's second professional boxing match.

In the first round