The fight that shouldn’t have been made now holds the key to boxing’s future. Soon, Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou will grace the ring on March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The winner will hold the ticket to face the winner of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk later in the year for all the marbles. While the fight has money written all over it, it might change the boxing landscape forever.

When Deontay Wilder failed to surmount Joseph Parker last December, ‘AJ’s plans descended into chaos. The Brit had planned to add one more fight under his belt before challenging for the top prize. Enter ‘The Predator’, who almost slayed the WBC champion his debut. The former UFC champion’s thunderous punch vs. the weak chain of the former heavyweight kingpin is the talk of the boxing town. And rightly so. It has all the ingredients for a flashy night.

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: The allure, money and the excitement

Francis Ngannou, 37, is riding high on the hype train. His stature as a fearsome boxer has reached a high after he dropped ‘The Gypsy King’ to the knees. Now the fans are eager to witness an MMA fighter punch a hole in other heavyweight boxers. It seems Anthony Joshua, 34, was willing to grab the money and overcome the Ngannou storm.

This is a fight that will undoubtedly rack up millions because of Ngannou’s stocks and the recent resurgence of Joshua. The fight will also put pressure on the winner of Fury vs. Usyk to take notice of the two, who pose a threat to their undisputed throne. Top fighters avoiding other skilled fighters plagued the boxing world, and that trend will end now.

The fight will set up a chain of exciting fights in motion. While the Fury vs. Usyk rematch is on the cards, the winner has to face either Joshua or Ngannou. The champions try to clinch hard onto their straps, and promoters protect their cash cows. With Joshua vs. Ngannou’s winner fighting for the undisputed championship, the future seems bright for the division and its fans. However, there are some lingering questions.

The bare-thin and not-so-good build-up for the undisputed title

While you can expect Joshua and Ngannou to go on an all-out war, does the winner deserve a shot at the title? Surely, the winner will leapfrog others for a shot at the undisputed championship, but neither boxer has done enough to be awarded a title fight.

Joshua, at 27-3, is on a three-fight streak since dropping consecutive fights to Usyk. But Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, and Otto Wallin are fringe-top fighters. Now, he is fighting an opponent whose boxing is only one fight long. Defeating them hardly works in Joshua’s favor and leaves much to be desired.

Meanwhile, only two fights separate Francis, at 0-1, from an undisputed championship. Imagine handing a shot at the undisputed crown to an outsider in Ngannou. Moreover, ‘AJ’ is a heavy favorite going into the fight, and the same goes for his compatriot, Fury. But if either of the results goes haywire, the resultant matchup will be a horrible card. Fans are not interested in Joshua vs. Usyk III. But what about Ngannou doing the unthinkable?

Shaking the boxing world’s fundamentals

What if the Cameroonian-French fighter hands Joshua a defeat? Ngannou can then position himself as the biggest draw for the Fury vs. Usyk winner. Many still believe Ngannou did enough to bag a win against Fury in their first clash, and their rematch will capture fans’ imaginations.

A potential clash with Usyk will be billed as the clash of two spheres: MMA and boxing. This was imaginable a few years ago and will shake the boxing world. That also sums up how money calls the shots while making fights. Regardless of the opponent, Ngannou will do enough to challenge the boxing world’s rules if he edges past Joshua. Whether he becomes an undisputed champion or not is a separate story. But it will be a spectacle and most probably the smartest decision ever made.

Read More: “Looks Like a Dude With Bodies Buried on His Property”: Resurfaced Photo of Once “Skinny” Oleksandr Usyk Draws Wild Responses From Fans Ahead of Tyson Fury Fight

What do you make of this upcoming fight between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou? Who do you think will emerge victorious and face the winner of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk? Let us know in the comments below.

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