Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, has revealed his intention to undergo additional medical checkups after suffering a devastating knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in their recent bout.
Joshua secured a quick victory over Ngannou, knocking him out in the second round of their highly-anticipated heavyweight clash last Saturday. The win prompted Joshua’s promoter to tout him as the top fighter in the division.
During the fight, Joshua floored Ngannou in the first round and twice more in the second, showcasing his formidable punching power in a brief yet brutal display.
Ngannou, aged 37 and participating in only his second professional boxing match, previously lost a split decision to Tyson Fury in October. Despite briefly putting the WBC champion on the canvas in the third round, Ngannou was unable to secure victory.
Following the knockout defeat against Joshua, Ngannou expressed the need for further medical evaluation to ensure his well-being. Despite feeling relatively okay post-fight, he acknowledged the importance of conducting thorough tests to safeguard his health.
Ngannou stated, “I feel healthy, but for the longevity of the sport, we better check and find out if there’s anything that could be done to get better now. I still need more checkups.”
Meanwhile, Joshua is eyeing a summer showdown against contenders such as Deontay Wilder, Joseph Parker, or Zhilei Zhang. This comes ahead of a potential title fight following the highly-anticipated undisputed heavyweight clash between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
