Francis Ngannou has had a wild journey to get to where he is in combat sports. He now looks to continue his momentum in a boxing ring when he faces former two-time unified heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua on March 8.
Ngannou began his combat sports career wanting to box but later transitioned to MMA. However, he still had a desire to compete in the ring, and in April 2022, he approached Tyson Fury following The Gypsy King's KO win over Dillian Whyte.
A dream to fight Fury finally came to fruition in October, by which time Ngannou had left the UFC. Despite losing a close decision, the Cameroon native floored the WBC champ and his stock skyrocketed.
Just as was the case ahead of the Fury fight, Ngannou is unfazed by his next challenger.
“Of course, I think I can beat him. I called for the fight. I am here to beat him, and that's why I came over here,” Ngannou told Sky Sports via Daily Mail.
“I've been calling for these kind of fights for four years. I'm not here to show up, I am here to take over. It might sound crazy. It might sound irrational. But that's what I am committed to, and that is what I want.”
WATCH: Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou, exclusively live on DAZN
Joshua is boxing royalty. The 34-year-old won gold in the 2012 Olympics and competed consistently for world gold in boxing from 2016 to 2022. "AJ" is on a three-fight win streak, with all victories coming in 2023, and he is confident of becoming a three-time heavyweight champion.
When does Joshua vs. Ngannou start in the U.S., U.K., and Saudi Arabia? Here's all you need to know about the event.
What time is Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia?
The Joshua vs. Ngannou card starts at 6 p.m. Arabia Standard Time (10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT) on Friday, March 8. Joshua and Ngannou should make their way to the ring around 2 a.m. local time (6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT), depending on how long the undercard fights last.
Here's how that translates to different timezones globally:
| Region | Date | Start Time | Main Event Ring Walks (approx.) |
| Saudi Arabia | Friday, March 8 | 6 p.m. AST | 2:00 a.m. AST |
| USA and Canada (ET) | Friday, March 8 | 10 a.m. ET | 6:00 p.m. ET |
| USA and Canada (PT) | Friday, March 8 | 7 a.m. PT | 3:00 p.m. PT |
| UK and Ireland | Friday, March 8 | 3 p.m. GMT | 11:00 p.m. GMT |
| Australia | Saturday, March 9 | 2 a.m. AEDT | 10:00 a.m. AEDT |
MORE: Fury vs. Usyk: History of boxing matches in Saudi Arabia
How to watch Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: TV channel, live stream
| Region | TV channel | Live streaming |
| USA | — | DAZN |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UK and Ireland | — | DAZN, Sky Sports PPV |
| Australia | — | DAZN |
The heavyweight fight will be on DAZN, with the streaming giant and Sky Sports PPV set to share the broadcast in the U.K..
Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou price: How much will event cost?
- U.S. PPV Price: $69.99
- U.K. PPV Price: £19.99
- For existing DAZN subscribers, the U.K. PPV price will be £18.99.
- DAZN monthly subscription: $19.99 on a 12-month contract or $24.99 month-to-month in U.S. / $24.99 per month in Canada / £9.99 in the U.K. on a 12-month contract or £19.99 month-to-month / 13.99 AUD
- DAZN annual subscription: $224.99 in U.S., $199.99 in Canada, £99.99 in the UK.
MORE: Anthony Joshua saved heavyweight boxing in 2023
Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou fight card
- Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou; Heavyweights
- Zhilei Zhang (ic) vs. Joseph Parker for the interim WBO heavyweight title
- Rey Vargas (c) vs. Nick Ball for the WBC featherweight title
- Israil Madrimov vs. Magomed Kurbanov for the WBA super welterweight title
- Mark Chamberlain vs. Gavin Gwynne; Lightweights
- Justis Huni va. Kevin Lerena; Heavyweights
- Ziyad Almaayouf vs. Christian Lopez Flores; Super Lightweights
- Roman Fury vs. Martin Svarc; Cruiserweights
- Jack McGann vs. Louis Greene; Super Welterweights
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