Ngannou speaks on Anthony Joshua’s knockout punch

Francis Ngannou is knocked down for the third time as Referee Ricky Gonzalez checks on him during the Heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou on the Knockout Chaos boxing card at the Kingdom Arena on March 08, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

Cameroonian boxer Francis Ngannou has hailed Anthony Joshua’s knockout punch during their bout.

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 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