Anthony Joshua continued his march to becoming a three-time world champion with a devastating second-round finish against Francis Ngannou on Friday night.
Ngannou, who had impressed in an exhibition match against Tyson Fury in October last year, was no match for Joshua, who sent him tumbling to the canvas with a vicious right hand.
Joshua looked the superior fighter from the off, shocking the former UFC champ with a huge blow in the opening exchanges.
He then wasted no time in finishing the job, knocking Ngannou down in the second before leaving him flat out for the count with military precision.
Jose Mourinho was the first to congratulate Joshua as another star-studded audience turned out to witness the bout in Riyhad.
Joshua now looks set to face off against the winner of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in their hotly anticipated unification fight.
The Brit has propelled himself back into contention with statement stoppages against Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, and now, Francis Ngannou.
Any question marks over the 34-year-old’s credentials have dissipated following a brief dip in form that saw him suffer back-to-back defeats against Usyk.
Despite the ease of Joshua’s victory, he had kind words for his opponent in the post-fight press conference.
“When I saw the fight with Fury, I thought damn, this guy could fight, I wanted a piece of that,” he said.
“He’s an inspiration, a great champion, and this shouldn’t take away from his capabilities. He can come again.
“I told him he shouldn’t leave boxing. He’s two fights in, and he’s fought the best. He can go a long way if he stays dedicated.”
Next, check out this post: Does Anthony Joshua Stand A Chance Against Tyson Fury?
