Claressa Shields, the boxing star who additionally competes in MMA, expects Anthony Joshua versus Francis Ngannou to be a detailed struggle. The truth is she thinks it will likely be so tight she is tipping it to be a cut up choice.
Ngannou is a former UFC heavyweight champion who has solely had one skilled boxing contest. On March 8, dwell on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace, he’ll tackle two-time unified titlist Anthony Joshua.
Tyson Fury beat Ngannou on a contentious cut up choice in his final struggle and Shields believes Joshua might have a troublesome contest too with the blended martial artist.
“I feel it is going to be a very good struggle. At first I sort of felt that AJ was going to knock out Ngannou, that is how I noticed the struggle. Now it is sort of shifted on, I really feel prefer it’ll be a cut up choice going both man’s manner,” Shields informed Sky Sports activities.
“I say that as a result of it appears like AJ has loads to show and I really feel like when he is obtained loads to show typically he places an excessive amount of strain on himself and he would not struggle his struggle. And if he would not struggle his struggle in opposition to Francis, Francis is a giant, robust and highly effective man too so it may be a better struggle.
“I imagine that AJ has all the pieces within the tank to beat Francis. He simply has to do it.”
Shields, an undisputed boxing champion in addition to a two-time Olympic gold medallist, has a real respect for MMA, particularly as she’ll be competing in it. Shields’ subsequent bout within the PFL SmartCage is on Saturday.
“I say that [Joshua-Ngannou will be close] due to how aggressive he was in opposition to Tyson Fury. Tyson Fury did not take the struggle critically. I feel that us boxers have this psychological factor the place we really feel like MMA fighters haven’t got good boxing,” she stated.
“However Francis is a kind of fighters who does principally get up when he fights. So he has a fairly good boxing background, fairly good get up.
“However us as boxers do not actually take that critically coming from an MMA fighter.
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Sky Sports activities’ John Dennen and UFC’s Nathaniel Wooden focus on whether or not or not we’ll see Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields rematch inside an MMA cage
“I really feel like if Tyson had performed his homework he would have seen, okay, this man can undoubtedly be a problem.”
Ngannou has been efficient in boxing, and Shields believes studying MMA will assist her as a boxer.
“I really feel like I am nice with out it. I feel it makes me better and it makes me a greater fighter total. I really feel like MMA has added some extra information of boxing for me. How they punch, the angles and stuff like that, I can nonetheless use that in boxing,” she stated.
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Francis Ngannou has already given Anthony Joshua a chilling prediction of his technique for March 8
“I can nonetheless use among the footwork to arrange photographs and I do know I can hit them from a distance they cannot hit me from. It sort of offers me a better IQ. It undoubtedly provides however it’s simply two totally different sports activities for positive.”
She has each intention of returning to boxing later this 12 months and insists she shall be extra formidable when she does.
“I am nonetheless getting higher as a fighter as a result of I by no means choose my final efficiency. I make all my performances higher and that is why none of those ladies can sustain. You are not getting the Claressa you have seen struggle in opposition to Savannah Marshall,” she stated.
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Claressa Shields says that she has the PFL championship in her sights as she goals to develop into a two-sport champion
“Once I come again to boxing, individuals assume I appeared good in opposition to Savannah Marshall and in opposition to Maricela Cornejo, oh simply wait until I come again, I’ll be higher than that. I’ve gotten higher after each struggle.
“I’ve talent, I’ve energy. I am simply the best of all time.”
Watch Joshua vs Ngannou dwell on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace on Friday March 8.
