Professional Fighters League [PFL] CEO Peter Murray believes former UFC champion Francis Ngannou is more than capable of shocking Anthony Joshua.
The MMA veteran will face the former two-time heavyweight champion on March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ngannou signed on with PFL after parting ways with the UFC.
Last October, when making his pro boxing debut, Ngannou nearly derailed WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. He dropped him in the third and created stylistic problems for the ‘Gypsy King’ the rest of the way. Fury would win a close ten round split decision.
Once again, Ngannou is a massive underdog in his next boxing assignment.
Murray believes Ngannou did more than enough to clinch a decision with Fury and he expects him to defeat Joshua.
“Everybody underestimated Francis with Tyson, including Tyson. So, I think Francis has been training constantly. He certainly won the crowd and the fan base around the world, and many would say, including me, he won that fight,” Murray told Sky Sports. “But he’s on a mission and I would not underestimate the big fella against AJ. It’s going to be a massive event. We’re excited for him, and we’ll obviously be in his corner.
“I believe he can [beat Joshua]. Francis is only going to get better in his second showing. So I think it’s on. It’ll be really fun event to watch. He’s the number one heavyweight MMA champion in the world. He’s taken on boxing, his pro boxing career, his first event, against one of the best in the world and now his second event against one of the very best in the world.
“So, you know that’s always been part of Francis’s vision in this stage of his career and we’re proud of him. Couldn’t be more excited for him.”