‘He’s going to be a real handful’: Warren talks Ngannou’s chances against Joshua

Frank Warren says if Francis Ngannou has improved at all since his fight with Tyson Fury, he could be a real problem for Anthony Joshua.

Queensbury promoter Frank Warren chatted with DAZN to discuss the upcoming heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou, amongst other things. Speaking on the matchup itself, Warren says he doesn’t believe it’s a shoe-in for Joshua.

“I think it’s a big jeopardy fight for AJ,” Warren said. “He’s got the benefit that Tyson didn’t have going into the fight in as much that now you’ve seen him in a boxing ring, so you know he can fight and you know what to expect. So you’ve got that.

“Then I think to myself ‘what is Ngannou going to learn from his first fight?’ Is he going to improve? If he improves he’s going to be a real handful. We know he can punch, you know he’s strong, he’s tough. So I think it’s not a foregone conclusion whatsoever because I know now he can box. He’s a switch hitter, I keep saying he can punch, and he can certainly fight inside so it’s certainly going to be an interesting fight.

“I think it will be a knockout, either way...coming from the background he comes from, the UFC, when they’re in fights they’re used to claiming hold of each other and pulling each other around. So (Ngannou’s) not someone you’re just going to be pushing around.”