Anthony Joshua isn’t overlooking Francis Ngannou.
Joshua’s Mentality
The two-time boxing champion has already booked his next fight after stopping Otto Wallin in December. Joshua will take on ex-UFC Champ Ngannou in a matchup that has massive title implications, especially with Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk happening just a month before.
The winner of Fury-Usyk might be in the rear-view mirror, but Joshua is keeping his eyes on fighting Ngannou.
“I’m not focusing on that,” Joshua said of Fury vs. Usyk on The MMA Hour. “I’m gonna take my mind, I’ll have to draw it back that Ngannou is my undisputed title fight. That’s the mentality I have to have. Ngannou is my undisputed fight because you’re only as good as your last fight.
“I respect him a lot. He ain’t easy money. He’s a hard night’s work. You know what’s crazy? So am I. I’m a hard night’s work for anyone. So, let’s go. It’s gonna be fireworks.”
‘I’m Just Gonna Focus On Myself’
Ngannnou shocked the world his last time out, knocking down Fury and taking the champion to the distance in a very close fight. Fury was unable to finish ‘The Predator’ nor was he able to make it look easy against the debutant.
AJ isn’t putting pressure on himself to top Fury’s performance.
“No, not at all,” Joshua said, when asked if the motivation is to do better than Fury did. “Me and Fury are completely different. I’m just gonna do exactly what I need to do, and I’m just gonna focus on myself. The minute I start focusing on what Fury done, I’ve already lost the fight. I’ve already put myself at disadvantage.
“If I just focus on what I’m good at and do what I do, I’m putting myself at an advantage. So, I’m avoiding any Fury relations of what he’s done and so on and so forth. But let me tell you this: every opponent that me and Fury have in common, I’ve either stopped or knocked out.”
We’ll see if that stat remains intact, come March 8th.
