Francis Ngannou was at least spared any pain.
The MMA-turned-boxing star was viciously knocked out by Anthony Joshua on Friday in the second round of their highly-anticipated heavyweight bout.
Joshua dominated from the opening bell, knocking down Ngannou in the first round before dropping him again in the second round.
Joshua then finished off Ngannou in brutal fashion with a huge right hand as soon as he got back to his feet.
“In fact, I didn’t feel the punch,’’ Ngannou said after the fight. “I think that’s what the knockout is about. I don’t feel any pain. That’s how I know I was knocked out.’’
It was just Ngannou’s second fight in boxing after getting his start in the sport by surprisingly going the distance with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in October, losing via split decision.
Ngannou’s second act went far differently, however.
“I told him he shouldn’t leave boxing,” Joshua said. “He can do well. Remember, he’s two fights in, and he’s fought the best. He can go a long way if he stays dedicated, but it’s up to him.”
Ngannou plans on coming back stronger.
“You can be sure that I’m not done here [in boxing],’’ Ngannou said. “Absolutely not. I’m not done.”
Just as Joshua was classy in victory, Ngannou handled his humbling defeat well.
“He did what Tyson Fury couldn’t,’’ Ngannou said. “It wasn’t my day and [Joshua] was just way better than me today.”
With the win, Joshua put himself in great position to fight the winner of Fury’s upcoming fight against WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in May, which will be for the undisputed heavyweight title.
“[Joshua] knocked him out, and that’s what a boxer should’ve done to him,” Fury, who was in attendance at the fight, said, per ESPN. If [Joshua] fights me in the future after I’m done with Usyk twice next year, it’ll be a different thing.”