Anthony Joshua vows to ‘put belts on hold’ and take Francis Ngannou’s soul in Saudi bout

Anthony Joshua has vowed to “put the belts on hold” and take Francis Ngannou’s soul in their highly-anticipated bout.

Ex-UFC fighter Ngannou, who is now contracted to the Professional Fighters League, made his professional boxing debut against Tyson Fury in October and narrowly missed out on an unlikely victory.

Joshua, meanwhile, will box the mixed martial artist three months after an impressive fifth-round stoppage of Otto Wallin.

“I have got to take his mind and his spirit, it will be explosive,” Joshua said of the upcoming fight.

The pair go head-to-head in Saudi Arabia on 8 March.