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Inform your boxing MMA predictions ahead of Francis Ngannou vs. Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker vs. Zhilei Zhang on March 8, with insight, analysis and odds from Pinnacle.
Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou clash in a huge heavyweight showdown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Friday, March 8.
Joshua is a former WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight world champion, and the Watford fighter has mixed it with the likes of Oleksandr Usyk, Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker and Andy Ruiz.
Ngannou, who comes from a mixed martial arts background, is fighting in just his second professional boxing match, but his performance in his debut against Tyson Fury certainly indicates that “The Predator” has a chance against Joshua.
The co-main event in Riyadh next month sees another former world heavyweight champion in action as Joseph Parker goes toe-to-toe with Zhilei Zhang for the WBO interim heavyweight title.
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Analyzing the Francis Ngannou vs. Anthony Joshua odds
Joshua is the 1.196* favorite on the Money Line, with Ngannou being a 4.650* outsider to register his first win in boxing.
Francis Ngannou vs. Anthony Joshua: where is the value?
Comparing the records of these two fighters would lead you to expect only one winner, and the prices suggest that it is highly likely to be Joshua.
The British boxer has beaten Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, Kubrat Pulev, Dillian Whyte and Alexander Povetkin, among others, in his professional career, and he has the experience and knowhow when it comes to big fight nights.
Ngannou has contested only one professional boxing bout, which ended in a loss, and that doesn’t really compare to Joshua’s resume.
However, “The Predator” caused elite heavyweight Fury huge problems in last year’s fight, which included dropping the unbeaten Gypsy King to the canvas in the third round. While there is no other boxing form to judge the Cameroonian on, there looks to be plenty of untapped potential.
The betting may not indicate it, but Ngannou could prove to be one of Joshua’s toughest opponents.
The Watford man was twice convincingly beaten by Usyk, while he was stopped, dropped and shocked by Ruiz. Even in his victory over Klitschko, Joshua was knocked down and on the verge of being stopped.
Ngannou showed that he carries a huge amount of power by hurting Fury in October, and punch power appears to be Joshua’s kryptonite.
The Briton was extremely cautious and looked fearful of being hit in those two contests against Usyk, and the Ukrainian can hardly be described as a big-hitting heavyweight.
Joshua was more adventurous in recent victories over Otto Wallin and Robert Helenius, but they are two limited boxers, who offered very little resistance.
That won’t be the case in Saudi Arabia, with Ngannou expected to land some big shots on Joshua and outperform what look like overly dismissive odds.
Zhilei Zhang
