Simon Jordan has questioned the status of the heavyweight division, ahead of Anthony Joshua’s clash with Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua faces ex-UFC heavyweight champion, Ngannou in Riyadh on Friday in what will be the latter’s second ever professional boxing bout.
‘The Predator’ dropped WBC heavyweight titlist, Tyson Fury before losing on a contentious split decision in October.
Former Crystal Palace owner and outspoken pundit, Jordan believes ‘AJ’ should deal with the 37-year-old in comprehensive fashion, but feels Ngannou’s performance against ‘The Gypsy King’ could be a damning reflection on the elite of the division.
“If Anthony Joshua doesn’t do a job on Francis Ngannou, then his credibility would be damaged,” he said on talkSPORT.
“The idea that this is a significant event is clear because the Saudis have put on an event that is attracting world’s audience and it will have all the reflective resonance that that gives.
“For me it tells you, if you can put an MMA fighter.
“We all know he can fight. We all know he can take a punch and we all know he’s a physical specimen, but we’re talking abut different disciplines.
“An MMA fighter, that hasn’t only not fought in the boxing ring, hasn’t fought for 18 months and has had a knee rebuild in that time, into a ring with supposedly a generational great in Tyson Fury and make Tyson Fury look like what he made him look.
“And Tyson Fury’s quite happy to own the fact he was in best condition, it makes it even more laughable.
“How good are these guys at the top of the heavyweight chain if an MMA fighter can come in and do that?
“I expect Anthony Joshua to deal with Francis Ngannou.
“Now that doesn’t mean knock him out, it means school him and if he gets an opportunity to knock him out, then knock him out.
“But I expect an elite heavyweight fighter to beat an MMA fighter stepping into his second only boxing fight.”
Fury confirmed that the winner of Joshua vs Ngannou will face the victor of his May 18 showdown with Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title.
The 35-year-old Brit confronted Ngannou over comments he had apparently made about him in the aftermath of their bout, during an event hosted by Turki Alalshikh on Tuesday, with Joshua also present during the verbal altercation.
During the final press conference on Wednesday, Ngannou and Fury reignited their war of words, with ’The Gypsy King’ sat in the front row.
“I want one more over Tyson, because I had the first one over him and I intend to have a second!” the Cameroonian said.
“I’m going to wipe the ring with your a*** again – there was blood in the ring!
“Your only chance is in the boxing ring with boxing rules, when you step out the ring you better stay five metres away because if I lose it, you’ll have a really bad time my friend.
“Respect the fact boxing rules are protecting you, because you are nothing in front of me. I’ll beat you every day, twice on Sunday!”
