'He could hurt him' - Joe Joyce reveals who hits harder after sparring Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou
Joe Joyce believes Francis Ngannou is a bigger puncher than Tyson Fury.
The former UFC heavyweight champion is considered a massive underdog ahead of his boxing debut against Fury in Saudi Arabia on October 28, but 'The Juggernaut’ refuses to write him off.
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Joyce shared ‘approximately 30 rounds’ with Fury in the lead-up to his first fight with Deontay Wilder in December 2018 before sparring Ngannou two years later.
Now, the Englishman has given his verdict on who hits harder.
“Naturally, Ngannou hits harder if you let him hit you,” Joyce told Pro Boxing Fans.
“Fury is a slippery character, but he has shown that he can hit hard too. You can see that from the way that he knocked out [Dillian] Whyte, and [Deontay] Wilder.
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“It’s a good fight for Ngannou, he’s got a good payday. I keep on talking about that but I’m happy for him.
“I’m disappointed with Fury not fighting [Oleksandr] Usyk though, because that was for the undisputed [championship], which hasn’t happened for so many years, especially in the heavyweight game.
“Hopefully, it will happen, but everything still seems to be up in the air.”
Joyce notes that Fury is quicker and has superior boxing skills, but warns his compatriot not to switch off against 'freak of nature' Ngannou.
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“I think Fury has got the faster flicker jabs and he’s probably going to be faster with his footwork,” he added.
“Ngannou’s boxing ability is a bit more basic, but he’s got the power advantage. If Fury switches off and gets nailed by something, he could hurt him.
“Ngannou started with boxing, so he has got boxing ability, quite fast hands and powerful shots. I remember when I was sparring with him, they were going whistling past my body and head.
“I wouldn’t like to take any cleanly.”
