Anthony Joshua outclassed Francis Ngannou at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Friday night.
The former unified and two-time heavyweight champion floored the Cameroonian in the second round of the 10-round heavyweight bout.
Joshua first sent Ngannou stumbling with a right-left hook and he followed it up with another right hand which left him unconscious on the canvas.
With the former UFC heavyweight champion out cold, referee Richard Gonzales signalled the end of the bout.
In his post-fight interview, Joshua said he decided to take up the challenge after Ngannou squared up against Tyson Fury in a split-decision loss in October 2023.
“On the route to the championship, you should always stay focused. And this was me stepping aside from that mission. I thought it was something for the broadcasters and sponsors to kind of get behind. It’s just about entertainment,” the British-Nigerian boxer said.
“But when I saw the fight with him(Ngannou) and Tyson Fury, I was like, ‘Damn, this guy can fight.’ So I said I need a piece of that, and as I said, he’s an inspiration. So we wanted to welcome him.
“We broke bread together and he’s a great champion and this doesn’t take away anything of his capabilities because in boxing it’s one or the other. He can come again.
“I told him he shouldn’t leave boxing. He can do well. remember, he’s two fights in and he’s fought the best.”
The 34-year-old said Ngannou can go far in boxing if he remains dedicated to the sport.
Joshua has now won four fights in a row following his back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk.