Boxing fans are losing their patience over Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou pacing
It's taking longer than anticipated to get to the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou heavyweight boxing showdown.
Boxing fans are becoming increasingly impatient with the pacing of the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou event.
Joshua and Ngannou square off in one of the biggest boxing fights in 2024. Ngannou is looking to earn his first professional win, while Joshua aims to win another big-name fight.
While interest is high in Joshua vs. Ngannou, fans are frustrating with how long it's taking to get to the headliner. Prolonged delays in between fights, in addition to some fights going the distance, have made some fans' patience run thin.
Boxing Twitter bashes slow Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou event
Here's what boxing fans and pundits have to say about the event's snail-like pace.
The pacing of this card is absolutely brutal. #JoshuaNgannou
— Triple C (@FF_Arrowhead) March 8, 2024
If you think WWE pacing is terrible, it has nothing on these Saudi boxing events. By the time the second bout of this main card starts we will be about 2 hours in.
— Jordan Patu (@Jordan_Patu) March 8, 2024
Just had a bath between fights. Pacing is horrific. GET ON WITH IT!!! @DAZNBoxing #JoshuaNgannou #MadrimovKurbanov
— Nick Peet (@Peety_Editor) March 8, 2024
With the pacing of this event, that walk might actually be happening tomorrow morning https://t.co/W5thQIZFV9
— Jed Meshew II (@JedKMeshew) March 8, 2024
The pacing on the #NgannouJoshua card is horrendous
— David Willford (@Dave_Willford) March 8, 2024
Bro wtf is this pacing #JoshuaNgannou
— Reuben (@mj_reuben) March 8, 2024
If you ever feel the need to complain about MMA pacing, watch boxing. It’s like listening to podcasts on 2x speed and switching back to 1x.
— Nick Davis (@RealNickDavis) March 8, 2024
These Saudi shows have the pacing of a visit to the DMV...
— Paul Magno (@Boxing_Tribune) March 8, 2024
Watching these Saudi boxing cards with their horrible pacing is a remarkably boring experience but it would be so much worse to be there in person. If they keep having these fights here they have to fix the pacing
— Omni-Man’s MMA Burner (@zachharknessmma) March 8, 2024
PFL vs. Bellator, which also took place in Riyadh, had a slow event pace. But, the fights delivered, including a wild knockout by Renan Ferreira against Ryan Bader.
The wait for Joshua vs. Ngannou will hopefully pay off. Ngannou earned another lucrative boxing fight after a closely-contested matchup with Tyson Fury in October.
The card has featured some odd moments, as of this writing. This includes a WBC featherweight title fight between Rey Vargas and Nick Ball ending in a split draw.
Before his ongoing boxing ventures, Ngannou was the UFC heavyweight champion, knocking out Stipe Miocic at UFC 260. He defended the belt at UFC 270 against Ciryl Gane before parting ways with the promotion following a lengthy contract dispute.
Joshua has bounced back from consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk with three straight victories. He's defeated Otto Wallin, Robert Helenius, and Jermaine Franklin during his current streak.
Joshua vs. Ngannou is still expected to deliver inside the boxing ring. Outside of it, some of the sport's loyal fans are done with the long wait, and hope the delay will pay off with an all-time fight.
Following along with Joshua vs. Ngannou, including the live results and highlights, here.