Francis Ngannou Alleges Unfair Tactics in Anthony Joshua Fight
Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has raised serious allegations against Anthony Joshua’s promotion team and organizers, claiming they influenced the outcome of their fight in Saudi Arabia. During his appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, Ngannou detailed various issues he faced during fight week, including disruptive media schedules and unexpected delays.
Ngannou asserted that he experienced unfair treatment and accused Joshua’s promotion team of using tactics to give Joshua an advantage. He described how his preparation was hindered by long waits during media sessions and significant delays on the fight day.
Ngannou recounted an instance when he arrived at the arena hours before the fight, only to be informed of a major delay, which disrupted his pre-fight routine. “A producer came into the locker room and said, ‘Oh, we’re running late on the broadcast. Now we’re going to go around 1:45,’” Ngannou said. “It was 10:45 then, so three hours later. It was quite disruptive.”
This isn’t the first time Ngannou has made such claims. He previously suggested that Joshua’s team used underhanded tactics before their bout, a comment that drew criticism from Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn. Ngannou clarified that he doesn’t hold Joshua personally responsible but points to Queensbury Promotions and Matchroom Boxing as the sources of the scheduling issues and delays.
“This isn’t about blaming Anthony Joshua,” Ngannou stated. “He wasn’t involved in sending those emails or organizing the events. But the organization’s handling wasn’t fair.”
Despite his grievances, Ngannou praised Joshua’s boxing skills, acknowledging him as one of the sport’s best. “It’s not that Anthony Joshua couldn’t beat me. If there’s anyone you could lose to, he’s the guy,” Ngannou said.
Ngannou is now shifting his focus back to MMA and preparing for an upcoming fight against Renan Ferreira in the Professional Fighters League.
