Anthony Joshua takes on Francis Ngannou in a huge heavyweight main event in Saudi Arabia on Friday, March 8.
It’s a fight everyone is talking about as AJ bids to continue getting his career back on track and MMA star Ngannou tries to prove his quality effort against Tyson Fury was no fluke. Even the quality of the undercard has generated a huge amount of interest.
Three titles will be up for grabs before the main event kicks off, with six other fights confirmed to be part of a huge night of boxing in Riyhad.
Not sure what’s happening? Then don’t stress, because everything you need to know about the undercard fights can be found below.
Anthony Joshua v Francis Ngannou undercard fights
MAIN CARD
Zhilei Zhang v Joseph Parker – for WBO interim heavyweight title
Weight Class: Heavyweight
Rounds: 12
Time: 9:40pm GMT
Zhilei Zhang will defend his WBO interim heavyweight title against Joseph Parker as the co-main event after a huge 2023 for both.
Zhang won the interim title in April last year beating Joe Joyce before sweeping the Brit aside in the rematch back in September with a brutal right hook and is looking to do the same to Parker.
The New Zealander heads into this one off the back of a unanimous decision victory over former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
Rey Vargas v Nick Ball – for the WBC featherweight title
Weight Class: Featherweight
Rounds: 12
Time: 8:40pm GMT
Rey Vargas is the defending champion and has beaten four of his last five opponents. However, in his last fight, on February 11 for the vacant WBC super featherweight title, he lost to O’Shaquie Foster.
Meanwhile, Nick Ball remains undefeated as a professional. His last fight took place in Manchester where won against Isaac Dogboe by unanimous decision.
The Liverpool boxer has taken the division by storm and will now go for a first world title.
Mark Chamberlin v Gavin Gwynne
Weight Class: Lightweight
Rounds: 10
Time: 6:50pm GMT
Mark Chamberlin is still undefeated as a professional winning his last fight against Artjoms Ramlavs in November with a technical knockout in the 10th round.
Similarly, Gavin Gwynne defeated Emiliano Marsili at the beginning of December in the 8th round via technical knockout.
Chamberlin has a power advantage over Gwynne with a much higher knockout percentage across his career.
Justis Huni v Kevin Lerena
Weight Class: Heavyweight
South African Kevin Lerena will take on unbeaten Australian heavyweight Justis Huni in a 10-round clash as the pair meet in one of the earlier bouts on the undercard.
Israil Madrimov vs Magomed Kurbanov – for WBA Super-Welterweight World Title
Both fighters brings unbeaten records to Riyadh and only one can walk out as the champion. The belt on the line is a secondary “world” title that hasn’t seen action since 2020.
Andrii Novytskyi vs Juan Torres
Weight Class: Heavyweight
Juan Torres heads to Suadi Arabia having won his last three fights but takes on Novytskyi who is looking for his 10th professional win and has never lost.
Details of the rest of the bouts on the undercard are yet to be confirmed but here’s how it is expected to look:
Roman Fury v Martin Svarc
Weight Class: Cruiserweight
Tyson Fury’s brother is in action on the undercard in just his fourth professional fight against Martin Svarc. Both are unbeaten but Fury is expected to claim victory in this one.
Ziyad Almaayouf vs Christian Lopez Flores
Weight Class: Super-Lightweight
The man born in Saudi Arabia is back on home soil and Almaayouf is expected to enjoy an easy night against Christian Lopes Flores.
Jack McGann vs Louis Greene
Weight Class: Super-Welterweight
Son of legend Robert, Jack McGann fights for the second time in Saudi Arabia against Kent’s Louis Greene in what should be an interesting contest.
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