Boxing press conferences are often pretty dull affairs - a few words from the main combatants and the first face-off for the cameras.
Just occasionally though, you get a few nuggets which are genuinely of interest, and that was definitely the case when Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou met in London on Monday to officially announce their March 8 superfight.
Joshua (27-3) vs Ngannou (0-1) will be the latest blockbuster show at bat for ‘Riyadh Season’, which is providing a string of heavyweight fights unprecedented in recent years.
Last October, former UFC heavyweight king Ngannou took Tyson Fury right to the wire on his pro boxing debut, before that immense ‘Day of Reckoning’ card last month featuring Joshua and Deontay Wilder.
Next up of course, we get the battle for all of the heavyweight belts - Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk on February 17 to crown boxing’s first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
Plans for Joshua vs Wilder in early March were scuppered by Wilder’s loss to Joseph Parker last month, but AJ vs Ngannou is a pretty nice consolation prize.
So that is what we already know, but what about the fresh lines to come out of that glitzy presser in London on Monday? Here are the best bits:
The route to Fury vs Joshua is clear (again)
Once again we appear to have a clear path to the all-British fight that fans have craved for years - Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua.
Yet another heavyweight blockbuster is being planned by the Saudis, and the man heading up their push to reshape the face of boxing.
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh told the world’s boxing media: "In Saudi Arabia we take care to present to the market very important matches. This is why you are watching and seeing these types of matches being promoted. I deal with boxers, the sportsmen and their promoters as their brothers. They all have my private number and deal with me directly.
"You see the posters and the promotion of the biggest fight, which is gonna happen on February 17 - 'The Ring of Fire' [Fury vs Usyk]. You understand now why it's Joshua vs Ngannou? You will see the result of this match, it will connect with the result of February 17. This is our idea."
So to sum up, the winner of Fury vs Usyk faces the winner of Joshua vs Ngannou. Once again we are close to that all-British megafight. Once again though, there are still major hurdles.
Whatever happens, it is further clarity for heavyweight boxing’s often muddled title picture.
Parker vs Zhang confirmed
That March 8 show may not quite have the depth of ‘Day of Reckoning’, but it is shaping up to be another stellar card. And now it has a co-main feature befitting the occasion.
Joseph Parker vs Zhilei Zhang is confirmed, matching two men who are now in the top five of most heavyweight rankings, both with their reputations at an all-time high.
Parker of course was absolutely brilliant in completely defusing the threat posed by Wilder in their showdown last month. He won a one-sided decision to confirm his return to heavyweight boxing’s top table.
The Chinese giant that is Zhang meanwhile has had a wonderful 18 months, dropping a controversial verdict to the unbeaten Filip Hrgovic before posting terrific back-to-back victories over Joe Joyce.
Warren vs Hearn…in a boxing ring
A few months ago this might have been the unlikeliest happening in boxing - bitter rivals Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn working together to produce major shows.
The pair were smiling together in Riyadh last month, and again at Monday’s presser in London. These truly are unprecedented times for the sport.
Now we are set for another wrinkle in their new-found harmony, with the Saudis looking to pit their stables against each other in a show later this year.
Again mooted by Turki Alalshikh on Monday, he wants five fighters from each stable to headline a blockbusting bill.
Warren vs Hearn, imagine the fight posters. What a way to continue ‘Riyadh Season’.
