THIS is the moment Anthony Joshua BRUTALLY knocked out Francis Ngannou.

The former two-time unified heavyweight champion locked horns with the MMA superstar in a lucrative crossover clash in Saudi Arabia early on Saturday morning.

Anthony Joshua locked horns with former UFC champ Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia early on Sunday morningCredit: GETTY

The Brit knocked down the MMA man mountain in the first round with a big straight rightCredit: GETTY

Anthony Joshua shut Francis Ngannou’s lights out with a hellacious right handCredit: GETTY

He shut the Cameroonian’s lights out with a huge overhand right in the secondCredit: GETTY

Ngannou was given oxygen in his recovery from the brutal KOCredit: SKY SPORTS

Joshua was razor sharp from the get-go, knocking down the former UFC champ in the first-round with a picture-perfect straight right hand.

AJ then floored the Cameroonian clubber with a thunderous right-hand and left-hook combo in the second.

And he shut his lights out with a hellacious overhand right a few seconds later.

Ngannou, 37, was tended to on the canvas before being helped to his feet.

And the Professional Fighters League pounder was subsequently given oxygen after being helped back to his corner.

Fight fans around the world were blown away by the KO, with one saying: “AJ showed him there are levels to boxing.”

Another said: “This Joshua will beat fury badly.”

And another said: “Yikes.”

One remarked: “Holy s**t.”

Another chimed in: “The speed and precision beats power.”

In his post-fight interview, Joshua said of the knockout: “It is what it is.”

He added: “On the route to the championship you should always stay focused and i had to step away from the mission

“I thought it was just a gimmick for the broadcasters.

“When I saw the fight with Tyson Fury I thought damn this guy can fight, I want a piece of that.

“I wanted to welcome him and this does not take anything away from him, he can come again.

“I am still learning and pushing, I don’t know if I am coming into my peak, if that was me down there you would be saying, ‘Anthony Joshua should retire’.

“In five years I will be finished fighting and sitting down and all this will be a distant memory.

“I am going to go back and lock myself in my cage and they can let me out when they want me to fight. I just want to fight.”

Anthony Joshua walks away after separating Francis Ngannou from concsciounessCredit: GETTY

Ngannou was given oxygen in his recovery from the brutal KOCredit: SKY SPORTS

Anthony Joshua celebrates his fourth win in his last four outingsCredit: Getty