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The undisputed heavyweight champion has eyes on Anthony Joshua.

There wasn’t ever really much of a doubt when it came to who Oleksandr Usyk would fight after defeating Tyson Fury in May. After capturing the undisputed heavyweight titles, Fury instantaneously activated his rematch clause, which nearly any boxer would have done.

JUST IN: Francis Ngannou Makes Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury Prediction After Losing to Both…

After some bumps in the road, all of the pieces fell into place in the heavyweight division. Usyk accepted the rematch, Daniel Dubois beat Filip Hrgovic for the IBF interim belt that Usyk had to relinquish, and Anthony Joshua waited in the wings to get a title shot. Joshua is set to face Dubois in September for that same belt, and the winner would move on to face either Usyk or Fury.

Usyk is “ready” for Anthony Joshua trilogy fight

TYSON FURY VS ANTHONY JOSHUA AND FRANCIS NGANNOU

Fury is adamant he will win and get revenge, but Usyk is brimming with confidence; so much so that he’s already thinking about fighting Joshua before anything even materializes. He gave an interview to Mail Sport Boxing on Friday.

SEE MORE: Oleksandr Usyk would welcome a potential trilogy fight with Anthony Joshua…

I don’t particularly want any rematches, but when we beat Tyson Fury for the second time and when Anthony Joshua beats Daniel Dubois, of course they will want to do a third fight. From my point of view I have no right to deny Anthony a third fight because he gave me two incredible fights. Anthony helped me become even more famous in the world.

Anthony Joshua and  Daniel Dubois

Usyk and Joshua have already fought twice before. The Ukrainian came out on top in both. The first was a unanimous decision and the second bout was a split decision that probably should have been unanimous as well.

Since that second loss to Usyk, Joshua has completely turned around his career. After a UD win over Jermaine Franklin, he rattled off three straight knockout victories, including a stunning one of Francis Ngannou in March. Joshua and Usyk are ready to run it back, but they have to handle business first.

RELATED: Oleksandr Usyk would welcome a potential trilogy fight with Anthony Joshua…

British fighter is in a much better run of form than in his previous two fights with Ukrainian champion

Oleksandr Usyk has expressed his willingness to face Anthony Joshua for a third time, following his upcoming rematch with Tyson Fury in December.

JUST IN: Francis Ngannou Makes Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury Prediction After Losing to Both…

The Ukrainian boxing star, who sat down with Mail Sport in Poland earlier this month, reflected on his recent victory over Fury and discussed potential future bouts.

TYSON FURY VS ANTHONY JOSHUA AND FRANCIS NGANNOU

Usyk secured a split-decision win over Fury on May 18, with judges scoring the fight 115-112 Usyk, 114-113 Fury, and 114-113 Usyk, making him the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999.

Fury, now with a professional record of 34-1-1, will seek redemption in their highly anticipated rematch on December 21. However, Usyk remains confident in his ability to secure another victory over the Gypsy King.

When asked about his plans following the Fury rematch, Usyk revealed to Mail Sport that he would consider a trilogy fight with Anthony Joshua.

He acknowledged the significant role Joshua played in elevating his profile.

“I don’t particularly want any rematches, but when we beat Tyson Fury for the second time and when Anthony Joshua beats Daniel Dubois, of course they will want to do a third fight,” Usyk declared.

“From my point of view, I have no right to deny Anthony a third fight because he gave me two incredible fights.

OLEKSANDR USYK

Anthony helped me become even more famous in the world. Anthony did it. And if it happens with God’s help, then I am ready for a third fight with Anthony.

Usyk vs. Joshua Fights: Career-defining rivalry

The first two encounters between Usyk and Joshua were pivotal moments in both fighters’ careers. The initial bout took place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, where Joshua defended his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles against the former undisputed cruiserweight champion.

SEE MORE: “I’m Crushed Right Now”: Mike Tyson’s Son Mourns the Death of His Aunt Who Died Due to ‘Evil’ Disease

Usyk, who had moved up to heavyweight, was considered a dangerous but manageable opponent for Joshua, who had the advantages of size and power.

From the opening bell, Usyk’s superior footwork, speed, and technical prowess were evident. Utilizing his southpaw stance effectively, Usyk outmaneuvered Joshua throughout the fight, landing clean shots and disrupting the British heavyweight’s rhythm.

As the fight progressed, it became clear that Usyk was in control, ultimately earning a unanimous decision victory and handing Joshua his second career defeat.

The rematch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, saw a more determined Joshua, who adopted a more aggressive approach, focusing on body shots and trying to close the distance. The fight was more competitive, with Joshua finding success in the middle rounds.

However, Usyk’s adaptability and resilience allowed him to regain control in the later rounds, particularly with a strong finish. The final decision was again in Usyk’s favor, this time by split decision, leaving Joshua unable to reclaim his belts despite a spirited effort.

Joshua’s road to redemption

Anthony Joshua and  Daniel Dubois

Since his second defeat to UsykJoshua has gone on to secure wins against Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, and Francis Ngannou.

He is now set to face Daniel Dubois in September. If the opportunity arises, Joshua will be eager for a third shot at Usyk, seeking to avenge his previous losses and reclaim his position at the top of the heavyweight division.

RELATED: David Price Predicts Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua: “I Always Thought It Would Be A Whitewash”…

Despite still being a novice in the sport, Francis Ngannou has been in the ring with two of the best heavyweights in the division.

JUST IN: Francis Ngannou to make long-awaited MMA comeback against 6ft 8in giant after boxing defeats to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua…

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk

French-Cameroonian Ngannou has had just two professional boxing matches. His debut came against Tyson Fury in October of 2023 when he put up a much better performance than many thought he would.

The former UFC heavyweight champion managed to stay at range and box well across the 10 rounds, and famously put Fury down with a big shot in the third. Though he never really got going into his usual rhythm, Fury rallied and did enough to win a split decision on the cards.

SEE MORE: Mike Tyson Tells Tyson Fury Exactly How To Beat Oleksandr Usyk In Rematch…

In March of this year. it was Anthony Joshua‘s turn to take on the former UFC Heavyweight Champion, who has registered the hardest puncher ever recorded. The fight lasted just two rounds with two knockdowns from Joshua before a devastating right ended it in dramatic fashion.

Since then, Fury has gone on to lose his first-ever fight against Oleksandr Usyk, while Joshua is currently in camp for his IBF world title shot at Daniel Dubois.

Anthony Joshua and  Daniel Dubois

Having faced both men, Ngannou was asked by iFL TV who would win should we get the all-British showdown that fans have wanted for so long, and he went with the power of Joshua.

“I would give it to ‘AJ’ right now.”

Ngannou has since made good on his promise to return to MMA and will face Renan Ferreira on his return to the Octagon on October 19.

Joshua has a chance to win the IBF World Title from Dubois on September 21 and Fury rematches Usyk three months later for the three remaining belts. Should both win, the long-awaited fight may finally happen in 2025.

RELATED: Mike Tyson Tells Tyson Fury Exactly How To Beat Oleksandr Usyk In Rematch…

Francis Ngannou returns to the MMA Octagon this autumn.

The former UFC heavyweight champion is back in action on October 19 against Renan Ferreira after a two-year hiatus from the sport.

JUST IN: Tyson Fury Makes Official Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson Prediction…

Francis Ngannou and Tyson Fury

Ngannou recently tried his hand at boxing, losing to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in crossover clashes.

But now he is set to face Ferreira for the PFL heavyweight strap on a stacked card, co-headlined by a featherweight title clash between female MMA pioneer Cris Cyborg and two-time PFL champion Larissa Pacheco.

Ngannou’s opponent Ferreira stands at 6ft 8in tall and is the reigning PFL heavyweight champion.

He won the belt in February by knocking out two-weight Bellator titlist Ryan Bader to set up a fight with ‘The Predator’ and has a habit of ending his contests early.

Out of his 13 professional wins (13-3), 12 of them have finished inside the distance with 11 of them coming by way of knockout.

“Renan is a great fighter; I have been watching him for years,” said Ngannou.

“I have been studying him for years, in fact, I’ve been telling people to watch this guy.

He’s quite unique, he’s athletic, fast, his size doesn’t impress me as much as his skill.”

Francis Ngannou

Ngannou has not fought in MMA since defeating Cyril Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022 to defend his UFC heavyweight title.

Following the fight, he split with the UFC after failing to come to terms on a contract extension and subsequently signed with the PFL.

He was supposed to compete for the organisation earlier but ended up landing a pair of blockbuster boxing bouts with British heavyweight stars Fury and Joshua.

Ngannou caused Fury serious problems in his boxing debut last October as he dropped a narrow split decision to the then-lineal heavyweight champion.

However, he couldn’t replicate his performance against AJ, who brutally knocked him out in March.

One month after his loss to Joshua, Ngannou announced the tragic death of his son, Kobe, at the age of just 15 months.

He announced the devastating news on social media via an emotional statement.

“Too soon to leave but yet he’s gone. My little boy, my mate, my partner Kobe was full of life and joy,” he wrote.

“Now, he’s laying without life. I shouted his name over and over but he’s not responding. I was my best self next to him and now I have no clue of who I am. Life is so unfair to hit us where it hurts the most.

“How do you deal with such a thing? How can you live with it? Please help me if you have an idea because I really don’t know what to do and how to deal with this.”

RELATED: David Price Predicts Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua: “I Always Thought It Would Be A Whitewash”…

 

  • Joe Rogan delved into the possibility of the Ngannou vs Fury fight being fixed, but offered no concrete evidence, only speculation.
  • Rogan’s conversation with Rampage Jackson on the topic of fight fixes highlighted differing opinions on Tyson Fury’s strategy.
  • Francis Ngannou’s transition from the UFC to the PFL raises questions about his future fights and the potential for matchups with heavyweight fighters.

Joe Rogan has been the mouthpiece for the UFC since 1997. He started his podcast a little over 10 years later, which has been a longer format for fight fans to learn more about the MMA athletes they love and cherish. Rogan has been known to flesh out multiple scenarios for a single topic because of his three-hour-plus show. The UFC’s color commentator has an unrivaled eye when it comes to the sport. His passion and knowledge was a significant reason the sport became so popular in the early 2000s.

On a newly released episode, Rogan was joined by former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. “Rampage” has seen it all in the sport of MMA. Jackson was a prominent fighter for the Japanese-based MMA organization, PRIDE FC, where it has been heavily rumored that steroid use was rampant, with rumors of fixed fights, per Rampage.

 

Rogan And Jackson Talked About Fixes in Fighting

And discussed whether it’s possible the Francis Ngannou vs Tyson Fury fight was fixed

It should be noted that neither Rogan nor Rampage provided any evidence one way or another, and were merely speculating on the show. Rogan brought up the theory to Jackson that the Francis Ngannou and Tyson Fury fight was fixed because of a future match-up with Oleksandr Usyk. It is unclear, though, whether he thinks it could have been pre-written and the fighters followed a script, or if the judges had their scores already sorted regardless of what the fighters did.

“He’s fighting one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all-time and drops him in the second round. … And then he beat him up in the eighth round too. I thought [Ngannou] won that fight, but, you know, they were setting up that Usyk fight. They were not gonna let [Ngannou win], it just seemed like the fix was in a little bit.”

Rogan continued: “It was close enough that they could pull it off. You could go, ‘Ok, maybe. Maybe you could see him winning that,’ but I don’t think so. I thought Francis won it. A lot of people thought Francis won it.”

A contrasting viewpoint to Rogan’s was brought up a few weeks ago during one of his fight companion shows, where Rogan argued with the comedian Bryan Callen, who was saying that Tyson Fury ‘carried’ Francis Ngannou much in the same way Floyd Mayweather let Conor McGregor gain some success before closing the show himself.

“He might’ve had incentive to keep that fight going. The idea that Tyson Fury didn’t have a bag of tricks, that he didn’t carry him. For me, it’s very strange for me. It’s very strange. I don’t know maybe he didn’t train at all.”

Rogan’s response to Callen:

“Shut the f*** up! … If he was carrying , all that s*** would’ve went out the window after he got dropped or rocked like that!”

Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou’s Next Fight

MMA record: 17-3 (12 KOs, 4 SUBs), Boxing record: 0-2, Best win: Cyril Gane

Though Ngannou has banked around $30 million — if not more — in his two massive boxing bouts, there is still a fire inside to prove to gain the respect of those that have doubted him. In an unceremonious affair, Ngannou parted ways with the UFC after UFC 270 because of his strict contract that wouldn’t allow him to explore the sweet science. The Cameroonian heavyweight fighter landed with the PFL, but is yet to debut in the tier 2 MMA organization.

The ultimate hope for Ngannou’s future as a Mixed Martial Artist is that now that the UFC and Riyadh have officially started to collaborate (starting with UFC 306), that we could get the greatest UFC heavyweight fight of all-time in Ngannou versus Jon Jones (barring Jones getting past Stipe Miocic in November). Another possible fight for Ngannou, could be a return to the ring against another heavy-handed puncher in Deontay Wilder.

  • Joe Rogan believes Ngannou was cheated in Fury fight due to upcoming Usyk match – controversy ensues.
  • Despite losses, Ngannou’s paydays in boxing satisfactory to Rogan, with hope for PFL debut in the future.
  • Rogan asserts Ngannou’s presence crucial for PFL’s success, believes debut necessary for organization’s growth.

In the aftermath of Francis Ngannou’s much-anticipated boxing debut against Tyson Fury last October, controversy continues to surround the bout. UFC commentator Joe Rogan has now voiced his belief that the outcome was manipulated.

Although nine months have passed since the fight, the split decision loss for Ngannou remains a hot topic in the combat sports community. Many, including Rogan, assert that Ngannou was the true victor, especially after he knocked down Fury in the third round.

Joe Rogan Believes Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury Was Fixed

The UFC Commentator Believes Fury’s Undisputed Fight With Usyk Was Protected

Rogan speculated on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, that the result may have been skewed to protect Fury’s upcoming match against Oleksandr Usyk.

“I thought Francis won that fight. But they were setting up the Usyk fight. It just seemed like the fix was in a little bit. It was close enough that they could pull it off and you go, ‘Okay maybe, maybe you can see Fury winning that,’ but I don’t think so. I thought Francis won it, a lot of people thought Francis won it.”

Despite the loss, Ngannou’s performance earned him a spot in the boxing rankings and led to a subsequent bout against Anthony Joshua. Unfortunately for Ngannou, Joshua knocked him out in the second round of that fight.

Rogan expressed satisfaction that Ngannou secured significant paydays from his boxing endeavors, despite the setbacks.

Rogan expressed satisfaction that Ngannou secured a significant payday from the Tyson Fury fight, particularly since many, including Dana White, had dismissed its importance. Ngannou’s knockdown of Fury and perceived victory in the eyes of many led to another substantial payday against Joshua. While Rogan is pleased Ngannou made money, he wishes it had been earned in the UFC.

Joe Rogan Believes The PFL Needs Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou

Ngannou signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) last year but has yet to debut in the Smartcage. PFL chairman Donn Davis hopes Ngannou will fight this year. The PFL heavyweight champion, Renan Ferreira, earned his chance to welcome Ngannou to the promotion by defeating Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader earlier this year. However, a date for Ngannou’s PFL debut remains unset.

Rogan believes Ngannou’s involvement is crucial for the PFL’s success. “Right now, the only way an organization could benefit – like PFL signed Francis. That’s probably the only way that PFL’s gonna get people to pay attention. You have to have someone like Francis,” Rogan concluded.

It is yet to be seen how The Predator bounces back from a devastating loss to Anthony Joshua and the death of his son Kobe.

Ngannou will likely make his return in late 2024 for his PFL debut.

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