Francis Ngannou and Joe Joyce had ‘violent’ sparring war this year – Brit’s manager says UFC star’s power ‘is disgraceful!’

The talk of Francis Ngannou having a crossover right continues to rise and it seems like it may have some validity.

UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones expressed an interest in moving up to heavyweight to face Ngannou, but he was disappointed with the offer UFC made him for the fight.

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Heavyweight boxing contender Dillian Whyte, who has a background in kickboxing, has also suggested he would fight Ngannou in a boxing ring or an octagon and Eddie Hearn has confirmed he will talk with Dana White about the possibility.

The superfight between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather was a financial success, but many felt a boxing match too strongly suited Mayweather as it was his natural discipline.

For Ngannou, though, he has no concerns about translating to the boxing ring and a sparring session with Joe Joyce earlier this year is yet more evidence that boxers should be worried.

"Let me tell you something about Ngannou - he can box at a high level," Joyce's manager Sam Jones told 

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"We were going to spar inside the cage - we had no problem doing that, as long as it was just boxing," Jones said. "But he said no, and he came to our gym in Vegas.

"Ngannou was standing in a weird stance. Then just stood upright and started throwing huge bombs at Joe's head!

"It took Joe a round to work him out.

"Ngannou and Joe went eight rounds of holding their feet. It was the most entertaining spar I've ever seen Joe in.

"The hairs on the back of the neck stood up."

Ngannou has always asserted that he has ultimate trust in his power and after dispatching of the dangerous Jairzinho Rozenstruik earlier this month in just 20 seconds, that point looks more prevalent than ever.

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Ngannou and Joyce sparred as the latter prepared to face fellow unbeaten Brit Daniel Dubois before the coronavirus pandemic that on hold.

Judging by what he say that day, Jones agreed Ngannou has unreal power, stating: "Hell yes, his power is disgraceful!

"Joe, when he spars, likes to work with the other guy but Ngannou was in no mood for a technical spar. He was there to put leather on Joe's face.

"Joe looked at me and [his trainer] Ismael Salas as if to say: 'Let's have it, then!'

"They went to war. They traded right hands for fun. Ngannou was throwing his right hand from his boots!

"Ngannou has a great chin. Everybody knows Joe does too.

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"I told Ngannou after the spar: 'You can [come to boxing] no problem, this is easy for you'.

"Ngannou is one of the strongest men you will ever see in any combat sport."

Whyte seems like the likely candidate to get this big-time fight with Ngannou, but Jones believes after watching him spar Joyce, that has to be the first fight he takes in boxing.

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