Israel Adesanya close to tears as Anthony Joshua knocks out Francis Ngannou

Close friend Israel Adesanya was devastated when former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou lost shockingly by knockout to boxing sensation Anthony Joshua in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Former UFC champion Ngannou lost his second boxing battle to Joshua in the second round, his first-ever professional stoppage.

After the horrific loss, Adesanya expressed his shock and concern for Ngannou's welfare.

Israel Adesanya, the former undisputed middleweight champion, was left inconsolable and perplexed when close friend and fellow former UFC heavyweight titleholder Francis Ngannou suffered a horrific knockout loss at the hands of boxing legend Anthony Joshua in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ngannou, a Cameroonian big man, saw the curtain come down last night, possibly ending his innocent boxing career.

Joshua stopped and dropped Ngannou for the first time in his professional combat sports career, flattening the former UFC kingpin with a brutal finish in the second round.

But no sooner had he stood up again than Ngannou was sent sprawled to the ground for the third and last time, rendered spectacularly unconscious.

In the instant aftermath of Ngannou's stunning knockout loss to Joshua in the Middle East, Adesanya expressed his feelings as he was left in shock.

Filmed in his house in New Zealand, Adesanya was concerned for Ngannou after the heavy hits from Joshua

On his YouTube channel Adesanya said, “Ah, man – f*cking cold, ah man, damn.

“He’s (Francis Ngannou) okay. That second one was bad, but that third one.

"You could see it in his face – ‘cause the first one he was fine, that was a flash.

Adesanya recently told Joshua about the possibility of leaving Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) for boxing as he gets ready for his return to the Octagon.