Anthony oluwaseni Joshua will take on ex- UFC star Francis Ngannou in a 10-round bout in Saudi Arabia.
This was announced by Matchroom and Queensberry on Friday night.
A date for the fight will be confirmed next week, with a press conference planned for January 15 in London.
The pair will clash in what will only be Ngannou’s second professional bout.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou knocked down Tyson Fury in his first professional boxing fight last October.
However, Fury won a split decision, but Ngannou is now ranked in the WBC’s top 10 of heavyweight contenders.
Joshua had been provisionally scheduled to face Deontay Wilder following his win over Otto Wallin on December 23. However, that clash was scuppered by the American’s defeat to Joseph Parker.
MMA correspondent Ariel Helwani revealed the news on social media. In a video posted online, he said: “Massive breaking news from the world of combat sports,” he said. “I’ve had it confirmed that it is a done deal, it is going down, Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion is returning to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
“He is returning to action later this year to face the man who had an incredible 2023 in his own right. The man who just won on ‘day of reckoning’ on December 23, the only and only ‘AJ’, Anthony Joshua. It is a done deal.”
Helwani added that a press conference would take place in London later this month to confirm a date for the clash. Should Joshua, 34, prevail, he will be expected to then take on the victory of the Oleksandr Usyk v Fury unification bout, that also takes place in Saudi on February 17.
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