Anthony Joshua Opens as Favorite in Boxing Match Against Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou is gearing up for his second boxing showdown four months after his professional debut against Tyson Fury. This time, “The Predator” will go up against former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on March 9 in Saudi Arabia.

The news was first reported by Ariel Helwani on Friday and later confirmed by Turki Al-Sheikh, the Chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment in Saudi Arabia. Promoter Eddie Hearn subsequently announced that a press conference for the 10-round boxing bout has also been scheduled to take place in London on Jan. 15.

Joshua opened -500 favorite according to SportsBetting.ag. Meanwhile, Ngannou serves as a +325 underdog. This means one would have to bet $100 on Joshua to collect a profit of $20. On the other hand, betting $100 on Ngannou could potentially bring in a profit of $325. Those odds are subject to change as the fight draws near.

Ngannou made his boxing debut on Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia against Tyson Fury. While the Cameroonian managed to secure a knockdown against the lineal heavyweight champion in Round 3, he was ultimately on the receiving end of a split-decision loss.

On the other hand, Anthony Joshua is currently on a three-fight winning streak and is coming off a fifth-round stoppage victory over Otto Wallin. A two-time former unified heavyweight champion, Joshua lost his title to reigning heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in September 2021 via unanimous decision followed by another loss in their rematch via split decision.