Joshua vs. Ngannou, Tips and Preview

A heavyweight championship bout with either Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk could be up for grabs when former unified champion Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou go toe-to-toe in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Joshua, who is the short-priced $1.25 favourite with Bet Nation, comes into the fight in serious form after successive wins over Jermaine Franklin Jr, Robert Helenius, and Otto Wallin.

His recent run of wins ended a down period that started with a heavyweight title loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019 and hit its lowest point when he was defeated by Oleksandr Usyk in back-to-back fights. Since his second loss to Usyk in August 2022, Joshua has recaptured his devastating form under new coaches Derrick James and Ben Davidson, resulting in two knockout finishes against Helenius and Otto Wallin.

Despite his price ($3.75), former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou stunned the boxing world with his first-up bout against Tyson Fury. While the MMA star was unable to come away with a shock win, he won plenty of admirers with his power-packed skill set on his professional debut.  

There is little doubt this will be one of the hardest-hitting fights in recent memory, with both contenders packing incredible power. While Joshua will certainly not have it all his own way, his renewed confidence – and the fact he knows that Ngannou is the real deal – should allow him to claim a fourth win on the trot.