The UFC’s interim heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall, has extended a helping hand to Anthony Joshua as the British boxer gears up to face MMA star Francis Ngannou on March 8th in Saudi Arabia.
Aspinall, who has experience sparring with Tyson Fury in preparation for his own fight against Ngannou, believes Joshua could benefit from the unpredictable movements and different striking angles of an MMA fighter.
“If [Joshua] needs help, give me a call and I’ll be there,” Aspinall declared to Matchroom Boxing.
He stressed that boxers are accustomed to facing other boxers, with predictable patterns and thought processes. In contrast, MMA fighters like himself offer a more dynamic and unpredictable challenge.
Francis Ngannou, 37, transitioned from UFC to boxing last year and faced Fury, 35, in October. Despite dropping Fury in his boxing debut, Ngannou faced a split-decision loss. He now returns to the ring against Joshua, and Aspinall advises Joshua to adapt to the unpredictability of facing an MMA fighter.
“As MMA fighters our patterns are different, movements are jerkier and the way we defend is different to a boxer,” Aspinall explained. “I’m not going to tell AJ what to do, but it would be definitely recommended to get a decent level MMA fighter in as a sparring partner.”
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