Anthony Joshua dropped Francis Ngannou three times on his way to a devasting victory - As it happened

That is a performance which will live long in the memory and it just makes the fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk all the more intriguing.

A reminder, Tyson Fury's undisputed world heavyweight championship fight with Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 will be shown live on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK.

"His excellancy said to take this fight and the winner would fight the winner of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk," Hearn said.

"That's one of the most destructive knockouts I've ever seen.

"In this form no one in the world can beat Anthony Joshua."

"I'm still pushing, still hungry," Joshua said.

"I'm just pushing day by day so will just see where it goes.

"In boxing it's one or the other. He can come again.

"He's two fights in and he's fought the best."

When asked for the reason for his improved performance of late, Joshua pointed to his trainer.

"The Ben Davison performance centre," Joshua said.

Ngannou, who took Oxygen in the corner, was knocked unconscious before he hit the canvas. The Knockout Chaos computer game advert could not have been more apt. Every bit of prestige Joshua lost in his defeats to Andy Ruiz and Oleksandr Usyk (twice), you feel he has regained now.

Ngannou looks a little worried and he is rocked by a straight right a minute into the round but takes it well. Double jab from Ngannou forces AJ back but Joshua with a right hand, left hand sends Ngannou back to the floor. He looks shaky as he gets to his feet, but a huge right hand from Joshua then leaves Ngannou spread-eagled on the floor. This is a statement win.

Wow! Ngannou looked like he stung Joshua a little with a right hook, but Joshua then drilled the former UFC champion with a straight right hand and sent Ngannou to the seat of his pants. Ngannou turned southpaw, making him more susceptible to the right hand and AJ delivered it perfectly.

Coming out to Skepta, he is wearing a prestine white dressing gown. He does look in the most boxer-like physique of recent times. He looks ready.

He walks to the ring along in pink, white and gold robe. He is an intimidating presence, there is no doubt.

A very intriguing fight. Let's have a look at the highlights of Francis Ngannou's fight with Anthony Joshua. Will there be any similarities? AJ is in better shape and taking the contest more seriously than Fury. But he is not as elusive. Fury mentioned Ngannou lacks the punch dexterity to take advantage when he has his opponent hurt? Will AJ look to rely on his jab from range or will he continue the exciting style he has shown under Ben Davison? Will Ngannou be better than last time?

Tyson Fury's undisputed world heavyweight championship fight with Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 will be shown live on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK.

You would think this would get full status as he will not fight Fury or Usyk any tiime soon.

"Zhang is a top man - he knocked me down twice," Parker said.

"Andy in the corner said keep your composure.

"This is a great win.

"What's next is we are going to fight again - that was in the contract."

Parker wins 114-112 and 115-111, with the third scorecard 113-113. Whatever you think of the decision, he deserved that with the gutsy effort after being put on his backside and in such trouble by Zhang in the early stages.

Zhang sees the end in sight and is a little more sprightly. Parker lands a good right in close in the mid-point of the round. Parker the only one throwing as the fight drew to a close. Parker has won the last three rounds. How will that leave the scores? An intriguing call.

Parker the busier but Zhang forcing his opponent backwards. Neither throwing a great deal, but Parker throwing and landing more. Could picking up these late rounds see Parker steal the fight?

A quiet round with Zhang seemingly feeling the pace a little with Parker landing with a number of one-twos. Zhang came alive with a hook and uppercut near the end but definitely Parker's round.

Parker was wobbled a little by right hooks which he is susceptible too, but he keeps 'Big Bang' honest with flurries, but even Zhang's shots to the body seem to have their impact on Parker. A short right in close also hurts Parker a little.

Another knockdown for Zhang. He initially with a big right hand which makes Parker dip to his haunches briefly. A big left hook from Parker cannot stop Zhang relentlessly moving forwards. He shrugs whenever Parker throws and then a left hand, right hook forces Parker to take a knee. Parker like the warrior he is keeps punching to the bell.

Parker felt a left to the body and a straight left and uppercut from Zhang. A right hand, straight left from Zhang stung Parker. He is so accurate and his efforts sap energy from the New Zealander when they land. Another right hook has some impact. It appears he was taking a rest in the last few rounds. Big round for Zhang.

It has become a more cagey fight again and now Parker is throwing the more accurate shots. Zhang is waiting for the big shot, but may be losing these rounds.

Parker with a good one-two and left hook to the body. He keeps punching to keep Zhang off him and does force the Chinese fighter backwards who just misses a right on the counter. The fight is being fought on more equal terms at present. Has he weathered the storm? It is Parker's round. A nice left hook in close from Parker gets Zhang's attention.

Zhang dominating with the right jab from the start of the round. Parker's flurries were having no effect, with Zhang showing no respect to them and just continuing his relentless march forward. Parker upset Zhang with a few shots to the body, with the Chinese fighter complaining about a low blow. This seemed to prompt Parker into action and he kept throwing right hands before getting a reprimand from the referee for low blows. A better round from Parker but it still looks ominous for him. Show of character from the New Zealand boxer.

Zhang puts Parker down with a straight left with just under a minute in the round. Parker takes the count and then Zhang bullies him in close. Parker is bleeding from the face and took a strong right to the body and left upstairs at the end of the round. Parker began with more attacking intentions but Zhang seemed to welcome this. He was also looking to overpower Parker in close.

Zhang with a one-two early in the round gets Parker's attention, but the Kiwi is landing with a few more right hands. Zhang traps Parker in the corner with a right hand and left to the body briefly. Parker threw a right, but Zhang fired straight back with a right hook of his own. The Chinese fighter in total control at present.

Both fighters patient, a nice right hand from Parker, but Zhang threw a big left himself just afterwards. Zhang forcing Parker back throughout may just get him the round.

It is a shame he doesn't step over the top rope like Andre the Giant. He does look very mean though. Can't wait for this.

Tyson Fury's undisputed world heavyweight championship fight with Oleksandr Usyk will be shown live on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK.

Parker comes to the ring first.

This should be a thrilling fight, though will do well to match the last one.

Zhilei Zhang 26-1 (21 KOs) takes on former WBO champion Joseph Parker 34-3 (23 KOs), who upset Deonaty Wilder last time out, and at 32 appears to be peaking.

The bookies have Zhang the slight favourite, but I think Parker wins this.

"Of course I will give a rematch," Vargas said.

"I will even come here to his backyard to fight but it has to be fair

"If they pay me three-four times this much I will fight tomorrow."

"He won the fight," Warren said.

"We're not cry babies, listen to the crowd: 'Did he win the fight?'

"He lost a few of the early rounds but I'm telling you, he won the fight.

"I'm sure [a rematch] will be ordered by the WBC."

116-113 in favour of Ball, 114-112 for Vargas and 113-113 a draw. You have to feel for Ball there. It turns out that knockdown in the eighth secured the draw for him. It feels unfair on Ball.

Vargas with next to no energy left and though Ball did not land cleanly until a left and right against the ropes near the end, he has to be given the round.

After a very quiet round Ball landed with a big right hand which puts Vargas down. That could switch the fight in Ball's favour.

Apologies for the heresy, but there is somthing about the later rounds of Leonard-Hearns I here, with Vargas still landing but with nothing in the blows and unsteady legs, with the smaller man wildly swinging - admittedly Ball less cerebrally than Leonard.

It is difficult to score with Ball going forward and making Vargas uncomfortable, but the Mexican is landing much more and cleaner shots.

Vargas landed more shots but Ball was forcing him backwards and then in the final seconds the Brit is given a knockdown, probably eroniosuly, as Ball threw him off balance and then threw a shot with the Mexican on the way down.

Easily Ball's best round. A good short right in close from Ball and Vargas looked unhappy, complaining about a forearm and he landed a couple more with the Mexican against the ropes. Ball then rocked Vargas badly with a right hand midway through the round, but Vargas answerd back with big shots of his own, but it has less impact on the Scouser. Vargas' legs were still unsteady at the end of the round.

It is the lack of intelligent pressure which is costing Ball here. He needs to fight like Ricky Hatton, but is lunging into big shots which makes it easier for Vargas to avoid and throw his own accurate shots inbetween.

Already it looks like Ball will have to stop Vargas to win. Vargas is landing so many more shots and has every round in my book. But Ball is still making him uncomfortable, when he uses his huge 5'2" frame to push him backwards and throw.

Vargas landing the better shots and he has reddened Ball's nose with straight shots down the middle. Ball landed a good right and had Vargas against the ropes when the referee strangely pulled him away, presumbly due to a low blow.

Ball throws Vargas to the floor and the referee warns the Liverpudlian. Points deductions will be next. His left hand to the body is fantastic from Vargas but Ball is making him uncomfortable. He should probably be targeting the body more rather than with wild hooks upstairs.

Vargas' round again, landing far more shots but Ball is brutal inside, throwing around the Mexican in close.

Vargas the busier fighter and taking advantage of his huge height and reach advabtage, but also throwing shots to the body. Ball is showing some intelligent pressure and landed a good jab upstairs in the closing stages.

The unbeaten Liverpudlian Ball is chasing the WBC Featherweight title, but the veteran Mexican will be a tough man to beat.

Vargas (36-1, 22 KOs) has only lost one fight and that was a points decision for the super featherweight crown a year ago.

Vargas has not fought since. Does he still have the desire to stop the rampaging Ball (19-0, 11 KOs).

It is an intriguing fight.

Eddie Hearn has put the big names in the 154lbs division on notice.

"Nothing less than the undisputed light middleweight champion is what we want," Hearn said.

"We're talking about Terence Crawford, Tim Tszyu. There are big fights out there for him.

"He's the new Gennady Golovkin."

Big talk...He does look huge at the weight. The Terence Crawford talk seems a little premature, but Tszyu could be a good fight.

He celebrates with somersaults in the ring and receives the belt in the ring. It is a very good achievement to take the gold in his 12th fight. His record improves to 11-0-1 (10 KOs).

That is a very impressive stoppage. There was less coming back from Madrimov and after his overhand right made Kurbanov wilt,the Uzbeki metaphorically leapt on him, landing shots with either hand and when the Russian started to sink between the ropes, the referee jumped in.

The same pattern, though Kurbanov landed a few more shots he is still being outworked. He looks like he is relying on Madrimov tiring out in the later rounds, which he may do.

It is a strange fights with neither fighter basing tgheir work off a jab. Madrimov is winning the rounds through workrate but neither is landing too much and Kurbanov is showing a good defence with his shoulder rolls.

Again Madrimov's round, but Kurbanov is staying loose on the back foot and getting his attention when he throws right hands or left hooks, but the cleaner shots were from Madrimov - especially a well-disguided left hook.

Marimov is on the front foot and he lands with the best shot a straight right in the last 30 seconds of the round, but Kurbanov is unperturbed at present and throwing hard shots himself, just at a lower frequency.

Russia's Magomed Kurbanov (24-0, 13 KOs) takes on Israil Madrimov (10-0-1, 9 KOs) of Uzbekistan.

The title is vacant because 'super champion', or 'champion in recess', Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) has not made clear when he will return to the ring.

"I'd love to come back here to fight," Chamberlain said.

He could well return in a couple of months on the Fury undercard.

Tyson Fury's undisputed world heavyweight championship fight with Oleksandr Usyk will be shown live on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK.

Chamberlain stayed patient, landing accurately from the outside and then when he saw Gwynne was in trouble on the ropes after an overhand right, he let go with a flurry of shots leading to the Welshman's corner throwing in the towel and the referee stepping in. An impressive performane,

Chamberlain making sure to keep his distance and focus on his accuracy, with left hooks and uppercuts downstairs, opening up room to throw and land his straight left. Back to the corner for Gwynne and having the endswell pressed in vain to mitigate the damage.

You can't see this fight being allowed to go much longer than a couple of more rounds.

Referee Howard Foster has a look at the eye before letting them proceed. As Gwynne looks to get in close, Chamberlain cleverly taking a step back and landing uppercuts downstairs and accurate straight lefts which are further damaging that eye.

Chamberlain mixing shots up, his southpaw jab with shots to body with either hand which his opponent seemed to feel. Gwynne holding his hands very high and only looking to punch when the unbeaten fire stops. Gwynne already has big swelling on his right eyeborw.

Unbeaten lightweight Mark Chamberlain (14-0, 10 KOs) takes on Gavin Gwynne (17-2-1, 5 KOs), a good test for the Queensberry fighter.

Tyson Fury's undisputed world heavyweight championship fight with Oleksandr Usyk will be shown live on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK.

Tyson's (and Tommy's) brother Roman Fury won a four-round contest against Martin Svarc, while Louis Greene stopped Jack McGann with a devastating overhand right in the first round.

Unbeaten Ukrainian heavyweight Andrii Novytskyi (now 10-0, 9 KOs) continued his unbeaten start to his career stopping the overmatched Juan Torres in the third round.

96-94 (twice) and 98-92 sees Huni take the WBO Global Championship belt (I don't know either!). The Australian's record improves to 9-0 (4 KOs)

It was a pretty drab 10-round heavyweight bout for the most part with one-way traffic as Huni dominated the contest. But then Lerena caught him with a huge left hand off the ropes and had to ride out a storm in the second half of the last round to surely take a points verdict.

I'm Ciaran Baynes and I'll be with you for the next five hours or so as we build up to the ten-round bout between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou.

Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou

Zhilei Zhang vs Joseph Parker

Rey Vargas D12 Nick Ball

Israil Madrimov KO5 Magomed Kurbanov

Mark Chamberlain KO4 Gavin Gwynne

Justis Huni W10 Kevin Lerena

Andrii Novytskyi KO3 Juan Torres

Roman Fury W4 Martin Svarc

Louis Greene KO1 Jack McGann

Ziyad Almaayouf W4 Christian Lopes Flores

Francis Ngannou’s trainer Dewey Cooper has fired a warning to Anthony Joshua ahead of their highly anticipated heavyweight boxing clash on Friday night in Saudi Arabia.

Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, nearly caused a seismic upset against Tyson Fury on his professional boxing debut, flooring ‘The Gypsy King’ in the third round before losing via split decision.

Next up for the Cameroonian is a showdown with Joshua, who is coming off the back of three successive victories as he plots a route back to the title.

But Cooper is confident Ngannou is going to thwart the Brit’s hopes and once again defy the odds.

Full story here.

Anthony Joshua wants to “make a statement” and knock out Francis Ngannou when they face off in Saudi Arabia this week.

Joshua will be looking for a fourth successive victory after beating Otto Wallin in December.

Full story here.

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