Knockout Chaos was held in Riyadh Saudi Arabia on 08 March 2024. The event featured Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou in a 10 round Heavyweight contest in the main event. The undercard for the event included Zhilei Zhang vs Joseph Parker for the WBO Interim Heavyweight championship, and two further World championship bouts. Here are the Knockout Chaos results.
Knockout Chaos Results
Anthony Joshua KO Francis Ngannou
Joseph Parker MD Zhilei Zhang
WBO World Interim Heavyweight title
Rey Vargas SD Nick Ball (Draw – Vargas keeps title)
WBC World Featherweight title
Israil Madrimov TKO Magomed Kurbanov
WBA World Super Welterweight title
Mark Chamberlain KO Gavin Gwynne
Louis Greene KO Jack McGann
Justis Huni vs Kevin Lerena
Andrii Novytskyi vs Juan Torres
Roman Fury vs Martin Svarc
Ziyad Almaayouf vs Christian Lopez Flores
Andrii Novytskyi vs Juan Torres
Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou
Heavyweight Anthony Joshua scored a knockdown 2 minutes into round 1. Joshua landed a well-timed straight right hand on Francis Ngannou. Ngannou beat the count and mostly stayed out of trouble for the rest of the round.
Anthony Joshua scored two knockdowns in round 2. Ngannou walked right into a right hook and was badly hurt from this knockdown. The Predator beat the count, but only barely, and Ngannou clearly did not have his legs under him.
The fight resumed with a befuddled Ngannou having a shocked expression on his face. AJ walked straight across the ring and put Ngannou out-cold with a third and final decisive knockdown. Just 5 seconds from the fight resuming, Joshua landed a right hand high on Ngannou’s skull, and Knockout Chaos had been delivered.
Francis Ngannou required medical treatment and oxygen after the bell, but left the ring of his accord.
Anthony Joshua winner by KO in round 2.
Zhilei Zhang vs Joseph Parker
This was contested for Zhilei Zhang’s WBO World Interim Heavyweight title.
Zhilei Zhang started the bout strongly, picking up the opening rounds and sending warning signs to Joseph Parker. Zhang knocked Parker down in round 3 from a fairly innocuous shot, and Parker beat the count and stayed out of range.
The output of Zhilei Zhang began to wilt as the rounds wore on. Parker began finding success from round 4 onwards as Zhang showed a reluctance to throw against a faster, more active puncher. Parker continued having success and picked up round after round, until Zhang knocked him down for a second time in round 8. Once again, Parker was dropped from a fairly innocuous punch rather than The Big Bang, and beat the count.
Parker was firmly in control from rounds 9-12, with Zhang offering little threat. In the final round and under instructions from the corner to go for a KO, an exhausted Zhilei Zhang did not even land a punch, and threw next to nothing. It was similar to the previous bouts with Jerry Forrest and Filip Hrgovic, where Zhang possessed the power to knock them down but cannot beat these fighters over the distance.
The fight went 12 rounds and to the scorecards. One judge scored it 113-113, a Draw. The others read 115-111, 114-112 in favour of Joseph Parker.
Joseph Parker wins via Split Decision.
Rey Vargas vs Nick Ball
This was contested for Rey Vargas’ WBC World Featherweight title.
Rey Vargas retained his WBC championship in a fight of two halves. Nick Ball struggled with the massive size difference against his taller opponent Vargas, the champion was largely able to avoid Ball’s inside work.
The second half of the fight was vastly different. Ball round his range and managed to hurt Vargas, who repeatedly complained to the referee and looked to hold and bide time. Ball knocked Vargas down in round 8, and a second time in round 11, but he wasn’t able to secure a final knockdown.
The scorecards read as a Draw, one judge to Vargas, and one to Ball.
Majority Draw – Rey Vargas retains his WBC World Featherweight championship.
Israil Madrimov vs Magomed Kurbanov
This was contested for the vacant WBA World Super Welterweight title.
Israil Madrimov secured his WBA World title with a fifth round stoppage of Magomed Kurbanov. The bout was a difficult watch with neither fighter impressing until round 5. Madrimov unleashed a flurry and Kurbanov was pinned against the ropes and defenceless. The referee stepped in to wave off the right, with the ropes having prevented a knockdown and Kurbanov receiving a 10 count. It was a well-timed burst of shots from Madrimov and an equally well-timed stoppage from the official.
Israil Madrimov wins via TKO round 5.
Mark Chamberlain vs Gavin Gwynne
This was contested for the vacant WBA Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight championship.
This was a battle between the IBF and the EBU European champions. Mark Chamberlain damaged Gavin Gwynne early on, causing heavy swelling to the eye of Gwynne. Chamberlain won every round and continued to pour it onto Gwynne until the referee waved it off towards the end of round 4.
Mark Chamberlain wins via round 4 TKO.
Jack McGann vs Louis Greene
Unbeaten Jack McGann suffered a horrifying KO loss to Louis Greene. Greene landed a telling shot shortly before the halfway mark in round 1 that sent McGann to the canvas. McGann beat the count but looked completely out of sorts and the referee waved the fight off.
Louis Greene wins via round 1 TKO
Justis Huni vs Kevin Lerena
This was contested for the vacant WBO Global Heavyweight championship.
South African underdog Kevin Lerena lost his mother during fight week, and dedicated his performance to her before the fight. Lerena started strongly, rocking unbeaten Australian Heavyweight Justis Huni badly in rounds 1 and 2. Lerena failed to follow-up on his success though and seemed gassed early on, reminiscent of his defeat to Daniel Dubois where he scored 3 knockdowns and lost.
Huni was able to control the action after the false start, and remained far more active than Lerena. Huni was winning the rounds and Lerena had little in reply. Lerena badly rocked Huni again in round 10 but failed to follow up, taking the 10 round fight to the scorecards.
Justis Huni wins via Unanimous Decision
Roman Fury vs Martin Svarc
This was a lively 4-rounder between two novice boxers. Roman Fury, brother of Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, only began boxing in 2021. Martin Svarc was kickboxing in 2023.
Roman Fury’s superior boxing skill and output showed, and he was able to pick up a relatively easy Points Decision. Svarc did pose a threat but only really troubled Fury in the final round.
Roman Fury wins via Points Decision.
Ziyad Almaayouf vs Christian Lopez Flores
Saudi Arabian Ziyad Almaayouf remained unbeaten as he picked up a Points Decision victory over Christian Lopez Flores.
Ziyad Almaayouf wins via Points Decision
Andrii Novytskyi vs Juan Torres
Andrii Novytskyi opened the show with a third round KO over Juan Torres. Novytskyi took control from the first bell and it just became a matter of time until Torres was stopped.
Andrii Novytskyi wins via KO round 3.
Photo courtesy of Queensberry.
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