All hail, Anthony Joshua
Anthony Oluwafemi Joshua recently defeated Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko to become unified World Heavyweight Champion. Joshua, who was little known, became an instant worldwide sensation when he defeated veteran Klitschko at Wembley in London on Saturday, April 29 knocking out the Ukrainian in the 11th round. The bout was watched by 90,000 fans inside the stadium.
Joshua, 27, was born in Watford, England on October 15, 1989 to a Nigerian mother of Sagamu, Ogun State ancestry and a British father of Irish descent. He made his professional debut in 2013 after spending some of his early years in IjebuOde, Ogun State before returning to the UK to join Kings Langley Secondary School. Despite beginning to box only in 2007, Joshua won the 2009 and 2010 Haringey Box Cup. He also won the senior ABA Championships in 2010 and despite turning down a £50,000 offer to turn professional, he went on to win the same tournament the following year.
In 2010, Joshua’s domestic success earned him a place on Britain’s boxing team and later the same year he became British amateur champion at the GB Amateur Boxing Championships. In June 2011 he beat Eric Berechlin and Cathal McMonagle at that year’s European Amateur Boxing Championships but was stopped by Romanian southpaw Mihai Nistor. In October 2011 he was named Amateur Boxer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Club of Great Britain. After missing the opportunity of appearing at Beijing 2008 Olympics Games in the colour of Nigeria, Joshua fought his way in Team GB boxing squad and went into the 2012 London Olympics as a novice on the international scene, Anthony Joshua became the new Olympic champion at the London 2012 Olympics after defeating 32-year-old reigning Olympic Champion and former World Champion Roberto Cammarelle of Italy. He made his professional debut in October 2013.
Before Wladimir Klitschko went down at the Wembley Stadium, he had knocked Joshua down in round 6, the first in Joshua’s professional career. Joshua knocked Klitschko down twice in the 11th round before the referee stopped the match. He thereby retained his IBF world title and added WBC’s ‘super’ belt to it. Anthony Joshua was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2013. Joshua’s story is yet another reminder of the abundant human resources which Nigerians are forced to put at the disposal of foreign countries.
For also acknowledging his identity and heritage, we commend Joshua. Government should give all necessary support to sports development and should not wait until our citizens are recognized outside our shores. Joshua’s success is Nigeria’s success and it goes to show Nigeria is making it. At such times like these when Nigerians are making waves in other countries, we should discourage our sports men and women from migrating because we have so many Anthony Joshuas who need an enabling environment.
Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that the Federal Government is proud to be associated with the new champion and will congratulate Joshua. The Ogun State Government also said it has plans to honour the new world heavyweight champion. Ogun State House of Assembly wants the Sagamu Stadium renamed Anthony Joshua Stadium and the popular Cinema Street in Sagamu to be renamed Anthony Joshua Street.
For someone who said he got into boxing out of boredom, he is the rave of the moment and has earned accolades. We should therefore savour the honour of Anthony Joshua and be proud to be associated with and celebrate this rapidly rising fighter who won what has been billed as the most financially lucrative boxing match to ever take place on British soil.
After firmly establishing himself as boxing’s next global megastar, Anthony Joshua should remain a good ambassador and should also not rest on his oars for there would be more serious challenges in the future.