In a highly anticipated announcement on Friday (Jan. 05), Anthony Joshua’s promoter revealed that former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will make a return to the ring to go head-to-head with the former unified world heavyweight champion.

At 37, the Cameroonian powerhouse Ngannou has minimal professional boxing experience, having stepped into the ring only once before. On the other side, 34-year-old British fighter Joshua, a two-time world champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist, recently secured his third consecutive victory by defeating Swede Otto Wallin on December 23rd.

Ngannou’s last foray into boxing in October saw him deliver a stunning knockdown on Tyson Fury, though he ultimately lost his inaugural boxing match on a split decision.

The stage is set for a monumental clash, with a press conference scheduled for January 15 to unveil the specifics of the Ngannou-Joshua bout. The highly anticipated showdown is slated to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, promising a thrilling spectacle for fight enthusiasts around the world.