Highlights

• Ngannou claims he was "tricked" before the AJ fight, alleging strategic exhaustion tactics were employed in match preparation.
• Early arena arrival led to fatigue, impacting performance. Ngannou opens up about feeling off due to unfamiliar tactics used.
• Controversial revelations spark speculation about Ngannou's readiness and mental state, shifting perspectives on his boxing potential.

Francis Ngannou has alleged being "tricked" just hours before his devastating knockout loss to Anthony Joshua. The highly anticipated boxing match took place on March 8 in Saudi Arabia, where Ngannou suffered a brutal defeat in the second round. The former UFC champion was knocked down three times in total, and has been grappling with the defeat, citing various reasons for his subpar performance that night.

In a recent statement, Ngannou disclosed a new explanation for his lackluster performance against AJ, claiming he was "falling asleep" during his warm-up before stepping into the ring. Ngannou's allegations of being "tricked" before the fight have sparked interest and raised questions about the circumstances surrounding his preparation and mental state leading up to the bout.

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Ngannou Accuses Sneaky Tactics in Joshua Bout Preparation

'The Predator' Claims There Were Higher Forces Working Against Him

Francis Ngannou has opened up about what he perceives as a clever ploy played against him prior to his match with Anthony Joshua, revealing details during an interview on the MMA Hour. Ngannou believes his early arrival at the arena was orchestrated as part of a strategy to tire him out before the fight.

Speaking on the MMA Hour, Ngannou recounted the sequence of events, stating,

"Listen, we both fought at 3am. What I think happened is that they get me to the arena very early. Like my pickup time was 10.30pm to go to the arena. And then when we get to the arena, they tell us that we are scheduled around 1:45am right? They come to the locker around 1am and Joshua [was just arriving around 1]. I'm like, 'OK, we are fighting at the same time, how come I have a pickup time?'"

Ngannou elaborated on his suspicions, suggesting that arriving at the arena so early was a deliberate tactic to exhaust him before the fight. "They do this kind of trick to get you tired. I was like cool, I was like, 'Bro, it's okay.' I didn't know how important that was, until the fight day that I had to get there two hours before."

Ngannou previously expressed reluctance to make excuses for his defeat. However, the outcome of his Joshua loss has spectators and insiders questioning his impressive debut in boxing, where he knocked down Tyson Fury and took the WBC champion to a split decision, as evidence of his capabilities in the ring.