‘It would just be another striking match’ - American professional fighter claims Joshua will defeat Ngannou in MMA fight

The former UFC heavyweight champion surprised the world with his venture into professional boxing last October. 

Francis Ngannou faced off against one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time, Anthony Joshua and was knocked down in the second round of the fight.

Ngannou's decision to test himself in boxing garnered praise from the entire combat sports community. Encouraged by his debut, the Cameroon native stepped into the ring once again, this time against current heavyweight great Anthony Joshua in Saudia Arabia. 

However, the outcome couldn't have been more disappointing for the MMA veteran as Joshua knocked him out in the second round.

Reflecting on the potential outcomes of a rematch in MMA, Demetrious Johnson, the current ONE Championship flyweight champion, shared his insights. 

“Does Anthony Joshua beat Francis Ngannou in an MMA fight? I think he does,” Johnson said on his YouTube channel. 

“It would just be another striking match. AJ understands his distance. He understands the void. He has better hands than Francis, and he can make Francis even whiff and miss again.

“Unless Francis is going to change his tactic and go clinch him and wrestle him. But AJ is very athletic. He is smaller, he’s more limber. I think he’d be able to stuff the shot and be able to give it to Francis Ngannou.”

According to Johnson, if Joshua and Ngannou were to face off in MMA, the result would likely be similar. 

He emphasized Joshua's understanding of distance and superior striking abilities, suggesting that Ngannou's tactics would need to change significantly for a different outcome.