ON March 8, two heavyweights of gigantic proportions will go head-to-head.
Anthony Joshua, the Brit with the hulking and Adonis-like physique, will take on the equally uncompromising Francis Ngannou – who is built like a tank and has an epic back story that showed fight and courage.
The impressive promo trailer, inspired by the famous Street Fighter video game, has whet the whistle furthermore for the bout in Riyadh.
But these two couldn’t have more differing lifestyles.
Thanks to an amazing career in boxing, AJ has amassed a wealth of over £200million.
That means he is able to live the high-life, and is seen behind the wheels of an expensive Range Rover and heading on luxury destinations by private jet.
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Ngannou was once homeless, before he made his UFC debut in 2015.
However, once he got going in the heavyweight division he was able to build an epic car collection of his own.
While for his most recent pay day, he received an £8million split of the purse for taking on Tyson Fury.
Fancy motors
Thanks to his partnership with Jaguar Land Rover – which is rumoured to be worth £790,000 a year – AJ rolls round London in his choice of a fleet of luxury wheels, including a customised white Jaguar XJR, worth £93,000.
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His favourite motor is his personalised black Range Rover, which he says “looks very professional and sets a standard”.
He has come a long way since buying his first car aged 17 – a second-hand Vauxhall Astra that cost £1,500.
That said, he loved it – calling the motor a “stable, sturdy car.”
But AJ isn’t that flash in comparison to other boxers.
There’s no Ferraris or Lamborghinis in sight with his car collection.
In any case, he was happy to buy his old gym in North London a new minibus.
MMA legend Ngannou also knows a fine motor when he sees one.
The most expensive car Francis has been seen with is the beautiful Rolls-Royce Phantom VII worth around £420,000.
He also boasts a quiet Rolls-Royce Ghost, that costs as much as £270,000 and can reach 0-60 mph in just 4.7 seconds.
On top of that, The Predator has also been spotted behind the wheel of a £130,000 Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
And the petrol head satisfied his need for speed in 2021, when he paid a visit to Exotics Racing in Las Vegas, Nevada and drove a £180,000 Ferrari 488 GB around a track.
AJ travels in style
With such a vast wealth at his disposal, AJ is well-travelled.
When he isn’t training, AJ enjoys exotic holidays with his family and friends, with his Instagram showing him in Dubai, Jamaica, Miami, Paris and plenty more glam trips.
However, he is quite frugal with how he travels.
AJ is sponsored by US sportswear giant Under Armour – who provide him with a private jet, as well as paying him a seven-figure salary.
Often, trips are sponsored by countries and resorts who want the privilege of having the sporting icon spotted hitting their hottest tourist spots.
It helps that he reaches 16 million followers on Instagram, so is one of sport’s biggest influencers.
Looking through Ngannou’s Instagram, which has 6.8 million followers, you see a more modest operator.
His social media is dedicated to a tough training schedule, with the occasional trip to Africa documented.
In one snap, though, he does seem starstruck after meeting rapper Eminem in Riyadh, before his exhibition fight with Fury back in October.
Differing backgrounds
Humble Joshua grew up as a self-admitted bad boy on a council estate in Watford.
However, he steered his life around at the age of 18 when he discovered boxing on the advice of his cousin.
Ngannou’s journey is a bit more complex.
Francis was raised in Batie, Cameroon, by a single mum who split from his dad when he was six.
The father was a street-fighter, renowned in the village for squaring up to gang members, four of five at a time, and giving them a hiding.
When he was nine, he joined his 11-year-brother by working in the sand mines.
He chose to escape Africa for a better life, by any means possible, which included crossing the Sahara desert and crossing borders illegally.
Eventually he would end up in a Spanish prison, although local authorities couldn’t prove he was an illegal immigrant because he used a forged passport.
Upon release, he dodged a train fare to France, where he was discovered by Fernand Lopez, a coach at MMA Factory in Paris, sleeping in a car park near a boxing gym.
Within a few months, he was already fighting on the French MMA circuit.
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When it comes to jewellery, AJ loves a good time piece.
He owns a £350,000 Audemars Piguet watch that was custom-designed, is made of gold and is diamond studded.
In the past, Joshua has spoken before about how it’s the most lavish thing he owns.
He has also been seen wearing their sporty Royal Oak Offshore model that costs around £30,000.
Ngannou isn’t one to be draped in jewellery.
But generous pal Cristiano Ronaldo made sure his mate wasn’t lacking in jewels before his big fight against Fury.
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The Portugal football legend visited the fighter in Riyadh and gifted him a stunning £105,000 Jacob & Co. watch before he stepped in the ring with the Gypsy King.
When showing it off, Ngannou joked with a wry smile: “It’s a nice piece.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
