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Reuters

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Reuters

On May 15, the world will finally have an undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. The two heavyweight behemoths, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, will face each other in Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, there’s another clash waiting to transpire on March 8 at the same location between Francis Ngannou and Anthony Joshua

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This fight will dictate whether ‘AJ’ gets a shot at the winner of Fury-Usyk, in other words, at the undisputed title. However, one question that has been bothering fans and pundits alike is – will ‘The Predator’ Ngannou have the same opportunity if he defeats Joshua? While appearing in an interview with Boxing Social yesterday, Frank Warren explains the situation.

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Frank Warren hints at uncertainty for Francis Ngannou

Frank Warren is co-promoting the Joshua-Ngannou fight. So, when Michelle Joy Phelps caught up with Warren yesterday to get his thoughts on Ngannou’s undisputed fate, the head of Queensberry Promotions claimed, “Until that fight happens on the 18th, no one knows what’s going to happen.” He even suggested that the decision can only be made “Once we see how [the] dust settles.” Because “A lot of it lives [in] the moment,” claimed Warren. 

He further elaborates, “If Joshua wins, I mean Ngannou’s got a rematch with Tyson anyway, so what happens if he [wins]? That makes it such a big fight for the both of [them].” On top of that, Warren ropes in Oleksandr Usyk, claiming, “You can’t take Usyk out of the equation. Usyk’s there. He’s not coming to make up the numbers.” While Ngannou’s undisputed fate hangs in the balance, the man who made it all possible for Ngannou asked him to kiss his feet.

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Tyson Fury takes all the credit for Ngannou’s success

While speaking to The Stomping Ground on March 3, Tyson Fury expressed his thoughts on Ngannou and his upcoming showdown with Anthony Joshua. “I know it was supposed to be like a 1,000 to 1 shot, and he was useless, and he couldn’t fight and all of that, but he proved everyone wrong, so fantastic for him,” said Fury.

Speaking about Ngannou’s tremendous success in the sport since their fight, Fury seems to think the Cameroonian-French champ owes him everything. “I put him on the map, made him a multi-millionaire, and now I’m making him even more money. So he needs to thank me. He needs to get on his knees and kiss my feet, doesn’t he, for what I’ve done for him,” said Fury.

Also Read: Francis Ngannou Reveals Three Heavyweight Boxers He Always Dreamed of Fighting

There was a time when nobody would have thought Ngannou would ever move past Tyson Fury. While Francis Ngannou could not defeat the champion, he did make it among heavyweight elites. Now, if he does defeat Anthony Joshua, there’s no argument against giving him a shot at undisputed. Do you think Ngannou deserves a shot at the winner of Fury-Usyk?

Read More: Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou: Who Is the Stronger Puncher?

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Sudeep Sinha

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Sudeep Sinha is a Golf Writer at EssentiallySports, covering the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the storylines around the sport's biggest events and names. He previously spent over two years writing in the Boxing department, where his fight-night coverage was featured on Sports Illustrated, Daily Mail, and Yahoo Sports, including his reporting on Ryan Garcia's career arc. On the golf beat, Sudeep covers tour news, player form, and the season-long storylines that shape the men's and women's game, from majors to the ongoing shifts in how professional golf is structured. That same appetite for detail that made his boxing coverage stand out now shows up in how he breaks down a swing change or a schedule shakeup for hardcore and casual fans alike. Outside work, he splits his time between reading, cycling, and following combat sports.

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Snigdhaa Jaiswal

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