UFC icon Demetrious Johnson has stunningly claimed Anthony Joshua could beat Francis Ngannou in a mixed martial arts match.
AJ potentially ended the former UFC heavyweight champion’s foray into boxing last week with a brutal knockout in their crossover clash in Saudi Arabia.
Francis Ngannou fought Anthony Joshua in a lucrative Saudi showdown last weekREUTERS
Ngannou was brutally knocked out by AJ in the second round of their Riyad rumbleGETTY
Ex-UFC flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson fancies AJ’s chances against Ngannou in an MMA fightGETTY
It took the Watford warrior less than two rounds to separate the MMA superstar from consciousness in their lucrative Riyad rumble.
And after having seen the manner in which he dispatched of Ngannou, Johnson believes Joshua could have similar success inside the cage – provided The Predator tries to solely stand with him again.
The former long-reigning UFC flyweight king said on his YouTube channel: “Does Anthony Joshua beat Francis Ngannou in an MMA fight? I think he does.
“It would just be another striking match. AJ understands his distance. He understands the void.
“He has better hands than Francis, and he can make Francis even whiff and miss again.
“Unless Francis is going to change his tactic and go clinch him and wrestle him. But AJ is very athletic.
“He is smaller, he’s more limber. I think he’d be able to stuff the shot and be able to give it to Francis Ngannou.”
Ngannou, 37, shone in his professional boxing debut last October against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
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The Cameroonian clubber cut and dropped The Gypsy King in the third round of their clash, which he lost via split decision.
Johnson, like many others, was blown away by Ngannou’s display that nigt but believes he showed all his cards against the Brit.
He said: “Another thing that could have been Francis’ downfall was he had that boxing match with Tyson Fury.
“So Anthony Joshua got an opportunity to see Francis fight boxing.
“What he took from the boxing match on Francis vs. Tyson? He probably took, ‘Okay, Francis doesn’t move his head.
“He doesn’t really move his head. He’s not very light on his feet,’ where Tyson Fury, he’s kind of light on his feet, and Tyson’s trying to avoid the fight.
“This time, Anthony Joshua got right to work right off the bat, and that’s usually not a good sign if the other opponent doesn’t respond.”
Ngannou cut a devastated and forlorn figure after the loss but is adamant his journey is far from over.
He told SecondsOut: “Absolutely [I still plan to box].
“Right now I feel like I have an obligation to continue because it owes me now.
“I think boxing owes me now and I really intend to collect.”
REUTERSFrancis Ngannou insists he won’t be walking away from boxing[/caption]