I didn’t feel it – Ngannou downplay Joshua’s knockout punch

Francis Ngannou has played down Anthony Joshua’s knockout punch, saying he didn’t feel it.

Joshua recorded a second round knockout win against Ngannou at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Friday night.

The Brit drew first blood in the opening round as he dropped the Cameroonian him with a clean right hand.

Joshua came out in the second round and landed a crushing right hand once again which sent Ngannou to the mat.

The former UFC champion beat the count only to have Joshua immediately flatten him again which eventually ended the fight.

Despite being on the receiving end of a knockout, the former UFC champion said in his post-fight:”I didn’t feel the punch because that’s what knockout is about, I don’t fear pain.”

Ngannou, however, went on to praise Joshua for winning via a knockout, a feat which he said WBC champion Tyson Fury could not achieve.

“He (Joshua) was quite special, he stopped me, he did what Tyson Fury couldn’t do. It wasn’t my day, he was way better than me, so it’s part of the game.”

Speaking on his knockout win, Joshua said it is the thing with boxing, that it only takes one shot in the heavyweight division.

The 2012 Olympic gold medal winner added that he keeps pushing himself to be better.

“You should always keep searching for better,” he said. “For me, I don’t know if I’m coming into my peak, I’m pushing day by day.”

Meanwhile, Fury was present at the fight between Joshua and Ngannou.

There’s been talk of a possible fight between Joshua and Fury. But Fury will have to see off Oleksandr Usyk come 18 May, 2024 for a fight with Joshua to be a reality.

When asked if his target is the Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk winner, Joshua said: “Yes it is!”

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