Highlights
- Anthony Joshua has sent a message to Francis Ngannou following the tragic passing of his 15-month-old son.
- Ngannou took to social media on the 29th of April to announce his son, Kobe, had tragically passed away.
- AJ was one of many, including Conor McGregor, to send a message to Ngannou at this tough time.
Anthony Joshua has led the tributes in the sporting world towards his last opponent, Francis Ngannou, who posted on social media last night announcing the tragic death of his 15-month-old son, Kobe.
Ngannou broke hearts in the sporting world by announcing the news on social media, leading to a resounding amount of support from stars of the combat sports world, including AJ.
Francis Ngannou’s Foray Into Boxing
The Cameroonian has already fought two of the biggest names boxing has to offer
Joshua was victorious in his encounter with Ngannou in Riyadh at the start of March. Still, the pair enjoyed a heartwarming moment that evening, with AJ raising the former UFC star’s hand after calling for him to remain in the boxing world.
Anthony Joshua was Ngannou’s second opponent in the boxing ring after his battle with Tyson Fury in October. The former UFC heavyweight champion came out firing in that encounter, knocking Fury down before losing via the judges’ scorecards, a decision which proved controversial among many fans.
His fight with Joshua was a similar story of a loss, but it came differently, with the Cameroonian-born fighter knocked out early on in the second round. After winning that fight, AJ is now expected to meet the winner of Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk, which takes place on the 18th of May. It was unclear following that fight, however, whether Ngannou would remain in the world of boxing, having only just left the UFC last year to pursue this move, or if he’d make a swift return to the cage.
Stars Send Support to Francis Ngannou
AJ, Conor McGregor, Henry Cejudo, and many more have all sent messages
Joshua was one of the first to comment on his one-time rival’s post, as he said: “May the memories you shared bring you comfort.”
However, he was not the only star to comment, with the high regard that the former UFC champion is held in on full display, as comments poured in from huge names such as Manny Pacquiao, Conor McGregor, and Cain Velasquez, another former opponent of his. Velasquez and Ngannou met in the UFC in 2019, with the Cameroonian fighter emerging victorious via first-round knockout.
Conor McGregor’s Tweets to Francis Ngannou After Death of his Son
Conor McGregor has taken to X to send his love and well wishes to Francis Ngannou following the tragic loss of his 15-month-old son.
What Next For Anthony Joshua
His win over Ngannou saw Joshua record his fourth consecutive victory, and while many wait for news on his next opponent, the 34-year-old has declared himself ready for an event at Wembley in September, with Matchroom planning an event on the 20th or 21st of September.
Deontay Wilder is a popular choice for his next opponent, but that fight seemed almost dead in the water following his surprise defeat to Joseph Parker. Speculation arose regarding the American’s possible retirement with that defeat, but the 38-year-old instead opted to continue his boxing career. Wilder is on the card for the five-versus-five event in Saudi Arabia held between Matchroom and Queensberry on the 1st of June, taking on Zhilei Zhang. Joshua could take on the winner of that fight or the winner of Daniel Dubois and Filip Hrgovic.
However, Joshua’s final destination looks to be a fight with Tyson Fury, dubbed by fans to be the battle of Britain’s best. Following his victory in March, the 34-year-old is on a collision course with the Gypsy King, and the two are rumoured to meet for all four heavyweight belts by the end of this year, should everything go according to plan.
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