Anthony Joshua scored his most brutal knockout when he fought Francis Ngannou.
After a year on the sidelines, Joshua is now gearing up to return in a particularly controversial fashion.
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Joshua is determined to return to winning ways when he meets Paul this monthCredit: Getty
The Briton is set to take on Jake Paul in a professionally sanctioned heavyweight bout on December 19.
Despite the announcement being met with widespread concerns, they are scheduled to fight for eight three-minute rounds.
The general consensus is that the Youtuber-turned-boxer could be risking his life by sharing the ring with a heavy hitter like Joshua.
And, if Joshua’s devastating stoppage win against MMA star Ngannou in 2024 is anything to go by, that seems like a valid fear to have.
READ MORE BOXINGWhat happened when Anthony Joshua fought Francis Ngannou?
When their clash began, Joshua immediately made it clear that he was in complete control over his opponent.
He sent the former UFC heavyweight champion down once in the first round, giving him a taste of the brutality that was about to follow.
They fought into the second round, where another right hand from Joshua knocked him down.
It was this shot that left ‘The Predator’ visibly dazed, but he slowly returned to his feet to continue.
Although he was quickly met with a second right hand that sealed his fate.
This time around, he was out cold before he hit the canvas, and paramedics immediately entered the ring to assess his worrying condition.
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Joshua achieved the perfect balance between aggression and patience when he took on NgannouCredit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom
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Despite being a heavy-hitter himself, Ngannou was knocked out by Joshua in their fight due to inexperience in the ringCredit: GETTY
Luckily, after losing consciousness, Ngannou was able to get back on his feet to attend the post-fight press conference.
Why could this mean bad news for Jake Paul?
Ngannou entered his fight with Joshua as the underdog, with only one controversial boxing outing against Tyson Fury under his belt.
He went the distance with Fury before ultimately losing on points, but that was certainly not the case when he took on Joshua.
While he was deemed fit to continue fighting following his loss to AJ, his natural size played a factor in being able to recover from the punches.
Paul, on the other hand, is a naturally smaller man who usually competes at 200lbs.
He may have had 13 pro fights, but he has yet to share the ring with someone of Joshua’s pedigree.
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Joshua is expected to make light work of the 28-year-old this monthCredit: Getty
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Paul is vowing to knock out Joshua but the odds are stacked against himCredit: Getty
Paul falls short in comparison to Joshua in almost every category, but is out prove himself as a real contender in the sport.
Meanwhile, Joshua has knocked out some of the biggest names in boxing’s glamour division since turning professional in 2013.
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As he makes his return to the sport, it’s unlikely that he will hold back from scoring an emphatic win.
Which means that Paul is certainly expected to be on the receiving end of Joshua’s full punching power.