Anthony Joshua tipped the scales at 252.4lbs ahead of Friday’s heavyweight showdown against Francis Ngannou, who weighed in almost two stones heavier.
The 34-year-old former two-time world champion was just over a pound heavier than in his last bout against Otto Wallin during December.
Ngannou weighed in at 272.6lbs, slightly above what he was for the fight against Tyson Fury in October, a first boxing contest for the former MMA star.
Following the war of words between Ngannou and Fury during Wednesday’s final pre-fight press conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, there was little drama as the fighters faced off following the weigh-in.
The winner of Friday’s ‘Knockout Chaos’ headline contest is expected to be in line to face Fury or Oleksandr Usyk, who will finally fight in their undisputed heavyweight bout on May 18 before a rematch takes place later in 2024.
Joshua insisted he had plenty of respect for Ngannou – who put Fury on the canvas in the third round before losing a split decision.
The Briton, though, but intends to remain fully focused on his own performance following on from three victories after the disappointment of defeat by Usyk in August 2022.
“Sometimes when you bow your head and make prayers, miracles do happen, that is all I can say – God is working in my favour,” Joshua said following the weigh-in on DAZN Boxing’s YouTube channel.
Joshua added: “Official prediction…? I deliver – I am the postman.”
Ngannou feels he can once again make the most of his underdog tag to prove doubters wrong.
“I have learnt a little bit from the last fight, the last camp, and leading up to this one, so I get a little bit of experience, but the mindset is still the same,” he said.
“This is just my second boxing match, even though I am taking on the two best guys in the world in boxing.
“I am the underdog, I am going out there to prove that you can be an underdog and stand your ground.”
Ngannou added: “Sometimes it just makes me laugh a little bit, because we are going to fight in boxing rules, but what would happen if it was a ‘free’ fight under MMA rules?
“I would smoke this guy. I am the only one to go in their backyard, none of them can come in my backyard. I would take two of them at once.”
Ngamba makes Olympics history as IOC refugee team set for first medal
Cindy Ngamba etched her name in history after guaranteeing a first medal for the Refugee Olympic Team in Paris.
The Britain-based boxer overcame French hope Davina Michel by a unanimous points decision to reach the 75kg semi-finals on Sunday.
With no third-place bouts at the Games, Ngamba is set for at least a bronze medal even if she loses to Panama's Atheyna Bylon on Thursday.
Having led the Refugee Team as the flagbearer at the opening ceremony just over a week ago, Ngamba secured another piece of history here – though the Cameroon-born fighter is intent on not finishing just yet.
"It means the world to me, to be the first ever refugee to win a medal," Ngamba said.
"I'm just a human, just like any other refugee, athlete and refugee all around the world. But I hope I can change the medal in my next fight.
"I was fighting a very tough opponent today. A lot of people were not cheering for me. But I listened to my team, I listened to my coaches and I listened to myself.
"I stuck to the tactics and I stayed calm and composed. I'm happy that I got the job done. Hopefully, in the next one, I will also get the job done. No, not hopefully. I will get it done."
Ngamba became the first refugee athlete to make the Olympics boxing tournament in May, and the first in any sport to earn a place in the Games by qualification rather than selection.
The 25-year-old was born in Cameroon but moved to England in 2009, though is unable to return to her homeland because she is homosexual, which remains a criminal offence in the country.
Team GB have supported her citizenship application but to no avail, leading Ngamba to represent the International Olympic Committee's refugee team in the French capital.
Usyk sends Fury warning as he dismisses 'too easy' comments
Oleksandr Usyk issued a warning to Tyson Fury, urging him not to be "afraid" ahead of their highly anticipated rematch in December.
Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight since Lennox Lewis in May following his split-decision win over Fury, ending the Gypsy King's unbeaten record.
Fury insisted that while he thought he won the fight, the only reason Usyk had been able to deliver a late onslaught was that he was "enjoying it too much and messing around".
"Oh my god, no way! Okay, no problem. The next fight will be easy [for him too]," Usyk told Sky Sports in response to Fury's comments.
"For me, my fight will be hard because Tyson Fury is a big man, a good boxer, with a good boxing IQ.
"But if Tyson says for him it will be easy, ok, no problem. I see for Tyson Fury, I see for the eyes of Tyson Fury, it's not easy. It will be hard, very, very hard.
"Tyson, don't be afraid - I will not leave you alone."
Fury had started the contest in the ascendency, landing an uppercut to the chin of Usyk which staggered the Ukrainian in the sixth round.
However, Usyk showed his powers of recovery once again, unloading on Fury with a flurry of punches that forced a knockdown in round nine.
Referee Mark Nelson stepped in to give Fury a count as he stumbled across the ring with just the ropes keeping him upright, managing to survive the full 12 rounds.
"For me, it doesn't matter," Usyk said on the officiating in Saudi Arabia. "Every referee, it's a professional guy.
"The referee does his job. Maybe my last punch would be dangerous for Tyson Fury. It's good.
"Tyson has a big family, I have a big family. Listen, we win. Everything is ok. I do not think about the referee after the fight. We win, thank god, all good, everything is ok.
"A lot of people say, 'Oh the referee took your knockout win' and say 'Referee bad'. I think no, the referee is good. It's just talking. Blah blah blah."
Lewis thanks former rival Rahman for help with Lewis’ League of Champions Boxing Camp in Jamaica
Former undisputed World Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis has expressed gratitude to former rival Hasim Rahman for participating in Lewis’ League of Champions Boxing Camp.
Rahman was among a number of high-profile names in the boxing world who helped coach youngsters at the camp which was held from July 8-13 at the Hopewell Sports & Community Centre in Hanover.
Rahman handed Lewis the second loss of his professional career to take his heavyweight titles back on April 22, 2001 in South Africa before, on November 17 that same year, Lewis got his revenge by knocking Rahman out in the fourth round in their rematch to regain his heavyweight titles in Nevada.
“Me and Hasim have come a long way from trading blows in the ring and the power of giving back to the youth is something that can even bring old foes like us together,” Lewis said in a post on Instagram on Tuesday.
James Ali Bashir, the former coach of current undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, as well as former WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Alicia Ashley and former CBF Welterweight Champion Sakima Mullings were also on hand to help out the youngsters at the camp.
“Giving back to the youth has become a central mission in my life but I can’t do it alone. I’m grateful to everyone who helps make it all possible,” Lewis said.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
