Drake has placed a significant wager on the upcoming bout between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou.
Scheduled for Friday, the highly anticipated clash in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will see former two-time unified heavyweight champion Joshua square off against ex-UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou.
While Joshua aims to regain his position atop boxing’s hierarchy after three victories in 2023, Ngannou seeks redemption following a controversial decision loss to Tyson Fury in his lone professional boxing bout.
Despite Ngannou’s limited boxing experience, Drake has backed him to triumph over Joshua, placing a staggering $615,000 (£479,481) bet on the Cameroonian fighter.
If Ngannou emerges victorious, Drake stands to collect a hefty payout of $1,906,000 (£1,486,003).
Drake’s betting history has led to speculation about a “Drake Curse,” with several athletes reportedly suffering defeats after the artist wagered on their success. Most recently, middleweight champion Sean Strickland fell victim to this phenomenon, losing his title to Dricus du Plessis after Drake backed him.
Similarly, Israel Adesanya faced defeat against Sean Strickland in UFC 293, following Drake’s $500,000 (£389,840) bet on Adesanya to win by knockout.
In another instance, Drake bet $1.2 million (£940,000) on YouTuber Jake Paul to win by knockout against Tommy Fury, only for Fury to secure victory by a split decision.
Despite the speculation surrounding the “Drake Curse,” Ngannou remains unfazed, expressing confidence ahead of his second boxing match.
“I’ve learnt a little bit from the last fight, the last camp, and leading up to this one,” Ngannou said. “So, I get a little bit of experience, but the mindset is still the same. This is just the second boxing match, even though I’m taking on the two best guys in the world and it’s still my second fight.”
