There are fights that you must watch as they have important fight lessons to teach.

Such a fight is Joshua vs Ngannou.

It was a very short fight, only 1 1/2 rounds but it packs in a lot of fight lessons. Things you can take away immediately and begin to apply into your own training and drilling.

The fight came down to perfect execution of fundamentals.

If you've been following me then you know much I stress the fundamentals and lack of them will get you beat.

Joshua used variety of jabs and feints that led him to set up the power shot that KOed Ngannou.

In this post and video I will breakdown everything Joshua did to win the fight. Most importantly, things you can take away from it and apply to your own training...

Video Breakdown

The Jabs

First, there were the jabs.

The most important punch in your arsenal.

Joshua used the following jabs:

• Step in snapping jab to the head
• Step in snapping jab to the body
• Pawing jab

Jabs win fights and the jab won Joshua this fight.

Joshua used the step-in jab to the head and the step-in jab to the body.

The step-in jabs Joshua threw were fast snapping jabs. They allowed him to get into punching range and cover more distance. Most importantly he never lingered in that range. As soon as he threw the step-in jab, he would be out.

Another jab Joshua used a lot was the pawing jab. This allowed him to get into punching range by simply touching the gloves of Ngannou to make him comfortable being in range.

If I can touch you, I can hit you. But Nganou was letting it happen.

Last thing Joshua used on his jabs was to move off centerline. This allowed him to not get hit with counters such as the hook that Ngannou kept throwing.

The use of all these jabs would eventually set up the power cross and overhand to knockdown and KO Ngannou.

Feints

Feints were the next important thing that eventually set up the KO shot.

Without feints, jabs and power shots would not have had the same effectiveness.

Joshua used partial movement from the step-in jab to the head and the body to make Ngannou react constantly.

Ngannou began reacting to feints as if they were real shots. Stressing his nervous system and opening himself up for Joshua to land more shots.

First feint was the simple step in. Joshua would step-in as if he was throwing the jab to the head or jab to the body but without the jab.

Second feint was a simple squat down as if Joshua was about to dip his head to go to the body but again, nothing was thrown.

The use of feints was an important part of the fight to land the jabs and the power shots.

Power Shots

The step-in jabs to the head and the body, combined with feints eventually led to power cross and overhand to land.

First time Joshua landed the cross in the first round, he used the pawing jab to get with range and make Ngannou react. Then he slightly dipped down as if going to the body and threw a power cross which put Ngannou down.

Interesting to note, Ngannou switched his stance to southpaw before the cross landed.

The second knockdown was a beautiful counter to a jab.

Joshua already established his jabs, distance and landed a power cross. He knew it was just a matter of time.

He saw an opening he could counter Ngannou off a jab. And he did.

Ngannou threw a sloppy jab and Joshua leaned back just enough back and off the centerline only to come back with an overhand right which put Ngannou down for the second time.

Similar exchange happened earlier in the round. Joshua timed Ngannou off a jab with an overhand which didn't land. But in that moment he knew he could do it again.

For the last overhand that took Ngannou out, nothing needs to be said about it. it was Joshua clocking out.

Master Your Fundamentals

The mastery of fundamentals won Joshua this fight. Step-in jabs to the head, step-in jabs to the body, feints, distance control and power cross/overhand. At every level of training - beginner or profession, the fundamentals will win you fights. You need to master them and be better at them than anyone else you fight. Learn how in this in-depth instructional course.