27, December 2019
Boxing: Anthony Joshua considering staging a fight in Kinshasa 0
British heavyweight boxer of Nigerian descent Anthony Joshua will at a point consider staging a fight on the continent, his manager has confirmed to Sky Sports.
The venue of choice will not be in Nigeria’s bustling Lagos or administrative city of Abuja. It could well be in southern Africa, specifically in Democratic Republic of Congo.
“[Promoter Eddie Hearn] is exploring an option in [Congo]. There has been an approach,” Sky Sports quoted Joshua’s manager Freddie Cunningham as saying.
“For the next fight, Africa is not the right time. But at some point he 100 per cent wants it,” Cunningham added.
If confirmed anytime in the future, Joshua will be following in the footsteps of former world boxing icon, Mohammed Ali, whose “Rumble In The Jungle” win over George Foreman in 1974 in the then Zaire, present day DRC, is labeled an all time-classic.
Back in 2016, Joshua openly spoke about his desire to stage a fight in West Africa – between Ghana and Nigeria. “Yeah, definitely. It’s been done before. It made massive news and was history. I think that would be massive. I would not turn that opportunity down,” he said at the time.
Adding that “I’d like it to be in Nigeria or Ghana. Either one is good for me, anywhere. There’s no way I wouldn’t fight there. It would be class, the whole history of it. It would work.”
Full name is Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua, he is popularly referred to in boxing circles by the alias, ‘AJ.’ He has undertaken trips to Nigeria in the recent years walking the streets of Lagos and meeting with political actors.
Joshua has traditionally fought in the United Kingdom. His first bout outside was his shock loss to Andy Ruiz early this year. He reclaimed all his titles in a rematch dubbed “Clash on the Dunes” staged in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
His team confirmed that among his most likely opponents are Kubrat Pulev or Oleksandr Usyk in that order. The venue of choice is Tottenham’s new stadium in London, they further disclosed.
Anthony Joshua was born in Watford to a Nigerian mother and a British father of Nigerian and Irish descent. He has lived some parts of his life in Nigeria until his boxing debut in 2013.
Joshua expressed interest in representing Nigeria at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, but wasn’t selected. He has since climbed the ladder to be the unified World Heavyweight Boxing Champion under the British flag.
Source: Africa News
9, January 2020
Football: Atletico stun Barca to set up all-Madrid Super Cup final 0
Atletico Madrid sprung a surprise in the Spanish Super Cup by staging a thrilling comeback to beat Barcelona 3-2 on Thursday and set up a final against Real Madrid.
Barca looked on course for a Sunday showdown against Real when they led Atletico 2-1 with nine minutes left but instead it will be a Madrid derby in Saudi Arabia to decide who lifts the trophy.
All five goals were scored during a wild second half in Jeddah that began with Koke putting Atletico in front, just 21 seconds after coming on as a substitute at the interval.
Goals from Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann turned the game on its head, only for Atletico to hit back with a late double, Alvaro Morata converting a penalty in the 81st minute before Angel Correa found a winner in the 86th.
In between, Barcelona also had two goals ruled out after VAR spotted tight offsides while Atleti were denied what looked a clear penalty at 2-2, after the ball clipped the hand of Gerard Pique.
A pulsating contest will have delighted the Spanish Football Federation, who have faced heavy criticism for taking the competition away from Spain to a different continent, and a country that has a long-condemned record on human rights.
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said on Wednesday he preferred the old format but his strong team selection, that included Messi, Griezmann and Luis Suarez, suggested this was a tournament he was eager to win.
It remains to be seen how this defeat might affect the La Liga title race, with Real Madrid and Atletico now enjoying the opportunity not only to win a trophy but score a psychological boost too.
Barca dominated the first half and Griezmann had the best chance, only for his lifted finish from the angle to be saved by the excellent Jan Oblak.
Atletico survived and frustration spilled over at the break as Jordi Alba poked a finger in the face of Joao Felix, who then went head-to-head with Messi. Suarez also had to be pulled away by Stefan Savic.
A spikey end to the first period was trumped by an explosive start to the second as Koke, on for less than a minute, gave Atletico the lead. Felix started the move and Correa slipped a pass behind the scrambling Sergi Roberto for Koke to stab into the bottom corner.
Simeone chose not to celebrate and if he was worried about the amount of time left, he was right, as Barcelona scored twice in 11 minutes.
First, Messi equalised after muscling his way through both Koke and Savic on the edge of the area and then he fired in again after steering a high ball around Koke. This time, however, VAR showed his elbow had served as a cushion.
Disappointment was brief though as Alba crossed for Suarez and while his header was brilliant pawed away by Oblak, Griezmann nodded in the rebound.
Pique thought he had a third after Arturo Vidal half-volleyed Messi’s free-kick across the box but again VAR intervened.
Atletico were revived. Correa should have pulled them level but appeared keener to find Felix than shoot himself and when the rebound did fall to the Felix, Sergi Roberto made a last-ditch block.
But the floodgates had opened in the Barca defence. Vitolo was next to go clear and this time he was brought down by Neto. Morata converted the penalty.
Then, Morata skipped free down the right and his cross seemed to strike the dangling hand of Pique but after consulting VAR, the referee strangely decided against another penalty.
Yet moments later, Atletico were in again. Correa this time sprinted in behind and while Neto made a block, the ball had enough power to cross the line. Now, Simeone could celebrate.
Source: AFP