AJ shocked after Tyson Fury ‘started on Francis Ngannou at dinner’

ANTHONY JOSHUA thought “f***ing hell” when he heard Tyson Fury was hitting Francis Ngannou.

In October, 35-year-old WBC champion Fury went 10 rounds with the MMA monster in his boxing debut and narrowly picked up a split-decision victory after losing weight.

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On Tuesday evening in the Riyadh desert, as part of the AJ vs Ngannou fight week, Saudi boxing power broker Turki Alalshikh hosted a dinner with all of Friday’s boxers – plus the amped-up Gypsy King.

The 34-year-old Watford legend was forced to pose for a photo with his Morecambe foe but missed Fury’s wildest antics and was left stunned to hear he was trying to brawl with the 19th ranked kickboxing and submission machine.

“I wasn’t there when Fury kicked off,” he explained that Fury was furious that Ngannou had called him a coward after their fight.

“I just heard he went to Ngannou and thought: ‘f***ing hell’.

“But apparently it was right, he refused his handshake and promised to knock him unconscious. But that’s Fury and Ngannou will have to get used to it during his boxing journey.”

Joshua remained ice cold, but admits that if given the choice of sitting in a cramped room with a host of past and present rivals, his RSVP would be brutal.

He explained: “It’s so funny because we were all bashing each other online, but that was probably the first time we were all in a room together and that’s when I realized it was all a bluff.

“People don’t love each other, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to fight each other.

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“It was the same situation this time, so I knew from previous experiences how to deal with it. I just stood in the corner, stood my ground and looked around the room.

“His Excellency invited us to his home and we respect the invitation, but I think if we were all given the invitation and told it was our choice, many of us would say ‘f*** that’. ”

Unlike most of Fury’s previous opponents, cage fighter Ngannou held his nerve and patience, sending Fury off with a terrifying warning when they met.

“I was very calm,” he grinned. ‘I told him: the only chance he has against me is in the boxing ring.

“You can hit when you’re standing up, but otherwise I know you can’t do s***.

“The only time he has a chance is when the boxing rules apply. If you take them away, I’ve beaten him Monday to Sunday and maybe twice on Sunday.”