Rags-to-riches Ngannou targets Joshua heavyweight shock

Francis Ngannou once toiled in a sand mine, scavenged for food to avoid starvation and slept rough in a car park, so facing former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on Friday is just another stop on his epic rags-to-riches journey.

“I’ve had a lot of experience in life,” the softly-spoken Cameroon-born fighter says with characteristic understatement.

“I’ve built my fighting spirit as high as anyone else.”

Ngannou has crammed a lot into his 37 years.