By Scoop Malinowski
Curiously absent for years, suddenly the very best and most violent version of Anthony Joshua emerged again in Riyadh last night, as the Brit powerhouse annihilated Francis Ngannou with a one punch, second round knockout.
Joshua decked Ngannou twice and then finished the job with one of the best right hand knockout punches in heavyweight history. It was a decisive, devastating and of the highest quality that only the extraordinary ones can perform.
It was Mike Tyson vs. Trevor Berbick, Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman and Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman, all rolled into one strike.
Joshua has raised the bar for such lofty expectations when he won the titles from Wladimir Klitschko a decade ago in one of the most spectacular wins in title history.
The former UFC mixed martial arts master champion was stunningly competitive vs. Tyson Fury in 2023, even flooring the giant in the third round, but against Joshua. Ngannou looked far out of his league.
After the knockout, Joshua did not celebrate or pound his chest, he simply walked to his corner, the most matter of fact reaction you could ever see in such an important fight. Yes, Joshua is in a special place now physically and mentally, he has saved his best for the home stretch of his up and down career, with future fights on the horizon against Tyson Fury and his bugaboo Oleksandr Usyk, twice his conqueror in close decisions.
Based on what he showed vs Ngannou, you have to think Joshua will do the same number on Fury and a third fight with Usyk could finally be the charm. Yes, Anthony Joshua is back, better than ever, and ready to reign supreme in the heavyweight jungle once again.