Francis Ngannou was apologetic to his supporters Friday after a disappointing result against Anthony Joshua.
Ngannou (0-2) was knocked out cold by Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) in the second round of their heavyweight bout at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Joshua had knocked down Ngannou twice before connecting on a vicious right straight in the final minute of round two. The blow sent the bulky Cameroonian folding onto the canvas as the referee called the fight for Joshua (video here).
Ngannou lay motionless on the mat for a full minute before being administered oxygen at his corner by on-site medical staff.
Man that was a brutal KO. They had to give Francis Ngannou an oxygen mask. Hopefully he’s alright. 🙏#NgannouJoshua pic.twitter.com/CNtRP3xgWL
— Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) March 9, 2024
Shortly after the bout, the former UFC heavyweight champion sent a message to his supporters on X.
“Sorry guys I let you all down. Today was a bad day in the office but tomorrow will be another day.
Thank you all for the love,” wrote Ngannou with a couple of emojis.
After Ngannou’s boxing debut against Tyson Fury last October, the 37-year-old put the heavyweight boxing division on notice with a stern message. He may need to recalibrate his expectations after Friday’s brutal loss to Joshua.
