What Eddie Hearn said to Anthony Joshua after being left stunned by Francis Ngannou’s body
EDDIE HEARN admitted he was left stunned at the sheer size of Francis Ngannou.
The ex-UFC champion takes to the ring for the second time on March 8 in Saudi Arabia against AJ.
And the two came face to face for the first time at a press conference, where promoter Hearn saw Ngannou up close.
He was left gobsmacked at the size of the 6ft 4in and 19 stone MMA star.
Hearn told Queensberry Promotions: “Francis Ngannou was talking and I was looking at him thinking, ‘Look at the size of your head, your neck!’
“I actually turned to AJ and thought, ‘Actually, you look like a middleweight compared to this guy.’
“I mean it’s the first time AJ has ever actually competed with anyone who is remotely the same in terms of frame and mass.
“This guy is bigger. So we hear the stories about how strong he is, we hear the stories about how hard he can punch.
“I still find it difficult to subscribe to, I don’t believe you can just stroll into the sport and just beat the elite.
“But he so nearly did it against what many regard as the best heavyweight in the world.
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“So we take him very, very seriously. It’s a fight full of jeopardy but one that if you use your brain, and use your skill and your speed, you should win.”
Ngannou, 37, dropped Tyson Fury, 35, on his boxing debut last October but lost a controversial decision.
And with the Gypsy King snubbing a rematch for now to fight Oleksandr Usyk, 36, for the undisputed crown, Ngannou was forced to look elsewhere.
But Joshua, 34, who weighed 17st 13lb in his last fight, vowed not to underestimate the Cameroonian like those before him.
He said: “If Tyson underestimated Ngannou, I sure won’t. Francis has lost the element of surprise with me.
“We knew Francis had a reputation as the biggest puncher in the world but the surprise was how well he boxed.
“He was exceptional on the inside and made life very complicated for Tyson. So much so that I do belong to the opinion that he beat Fury.”