Anthony Joshua's next fight may not be for a world title, but there is still plenty at stake when he takes on former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou on March 8 in Saudi Arabia.
For Joshua, this is a chance to stay active as he awaits the chance to face the winner of the undisputed heavyweight title clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
However, a loss to Ngannou, who will be participating in his second fight as a professional boxer, would derail these plans and could have major implications for Joshua's future.
Speaking on the Toe2Toe podcast, former WBO world super featherweight champion Barry Jones is expecting Joshua to make easy work of the MMA star, but he did claim that Joshua's career could be over if he fails to get the win in Riyadh.
"Joshua is a hard fight for Ngannou because he keeps his shape really well, he punches down the line and every punch is a bit more forceful," Jones said.
"There is more intent with every punch he throws, and I think he can get the stoppage.
"A one fight novice still should not beat a former heavyweight champion of the world who is not out of his prime, I think it’s a relatively easy night for him.
"If he can’t, then it will be a nightmare and the end of his career if he gets beat by Ngannou."
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