In an exciting turn of events, Anthony Joshua could be in line to challenge Tyson Fury for the WBC world heavyweight title if he emerges victorious against Francis Ngannou. Joshua is set to face ex-UFC champion Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on March 8, marking only his second boxing bout.
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Joshua's No.1 Ranking
Currently, Joshua holds the No.1 ranking as the challenger for the WBC title. This means that if he defeats Ngannou, he may be mandated to face Fury in the future. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman expressed his admiration for Joshua's career and stated that a victory against Ngannou would position him at the top of the ranking.
A Controversial Boxing Debut
Ngannou temporarily put his MMA career on hold last year to make his boxing debut against Fury. Despite scoring a knockdown, Ngannou was defeated via a controversial split-decision. This adds an extra layer of anticipation to Joshua's upcoming bout against Ngannou.
Potential Rematch
While the winners of the Joshua-Ngannou and Fury-Usyk bouts could potentially meet in the future, Fury and Usyk are already contracted to a rematch. However, Sulaiman mentioned that the plans could be altered if promoters request a change.
He confirmed, "The WBC already sanctioned Fury v Usyk and the rematch. We received the request and have already accepted a rematch if the promoters put it together so that’s where the WBC stands. If the promoters change their request for the rematch, we will certainly address it."
So, boxing fans, keep an eye on the outcome of Joshua's match against Ngannou as it could pave the way for a thrilling showdown with Fury for the WBC world title.
