Sports

Nigerian-born heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua bounces back, claims vital win over Jermaine Franklin

Published

1 year ago

April 2, 2023

Nigerian-born British heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua, on Sunday morning, bounced back from two consecutive defeats in the hands of Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk to beat American Jermaine Franklin by unanimous decision at the O2 Arena in London.

After a painful loss in his rematch with Usyk last year, former champion Joshua had to make a strong comeback statement and he did just that in the win against the tough American with a unanimous decision of 118-111, 117-111, and 117-111 on all three judges’ cards.

The win has once again put Joshua in the frame for a bout with undisputed champion, Tyson Fury while propelling him towards his more accustomed place at the upper end of the heavyweight division.

In his reaction after the fight, Joshua said he was aiming for a knockout but had to take the win however it came.

He also threw a challenge the way of Fury, calling on the boastful Brit to get ready for a bout.

“I try and provide for the fans. I know who they want. They said Tyson Fury; the ball is in his court. I would be honoured to fight for the WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World.

“If he’s listening, he knows my promoter; we’ve had dialogue before, so let’s continue this. We ain’t getting any younger.”

Joshua’s promoter of 10 years, Eddie Hearn, who was also in bullish mode, said:

“We want the Fury fight. We believe it can be made. The nature of the victory was always going to be important, but he has the right to call out Fury or Deontay Wilder.”

Click to comment

Sports

Al Ahly, Esperance to clash in CAF Champions League final

Published

19 hours ago

April 27, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Two of Africa’s club giants, Egypt’s Al Ahly and Esperance of Tunisia, will do battle next month over two legs for the right to be crowned champions of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Title-holders Al Ahly and their long-standing rivals Esperance both booked their places in the final with dramatic semi-final victories over DR Congo”s TP Mazembe and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa respectively on Friday night.

While Al Ahly, winners of five of the last seven editions of the continent’s top draw tournament, with a record 11 in total, overcame TP Mazembe with a 3-0 aggregate victory in the semi-final second leg after a goalless first leg last Saturday, Esperance surprised Sundowns with a 1-0 victory in Pretoria to wrap up a 2-0 aggregate win.

The two-legged final will mark the third encounter between Ahly and Esperance in the Champions League final, with the Egyptians winning in 2012 and the Tunisians triumphing in 2018.

In 2023, the two clubs clashed in the semi-finals with Ahly emerging victorious home and away, securing a 4-0 aggregate triumph.

Esperance who are aiming for a fifth Champions League title, will host the first leg in Rades on May 18, with the return fixture scheduled in Cairo seven days later.

Sports

Former Zambian captain Rainford Kalaba discharged from hospital after near-fatal accident

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Former Zambian national team captain, Rainford Kalaba, has been discharged from hospital weeks after he was involved in a near-fatal accident where he sustained serious injuries.

The accident which involved a head-on collision between a Mercedes-Benz car in which Kalaba was in, and a truck, had initially sparked fears for his life and has since been in the Intensive Care Unit of the Zambian University Teaching Hospital (UTH).

The good news on the footballer’s progress was released by the UTH Public Relations Officer, Nzeba Chanda, who informed that the Chipolopolo legend has been discharged after showing positive signs of recovery.

“Mr. Rainford Kalaba has been discharged from the UTH-Adult where he was admitted after being involved in a road traffic accident two weeks ago,” Chanda said, adding that Kalaba will continue his recovery at his family home.

According to local media reports, the 37-year-old was a passenger in a Mercedes Benz when it collided with an oncoming truck in the south-eastern Zambian town of Kafue a week and five days ago.

In his active playing days, Kalaba spent the majority of his club career at TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, winning the CAF Champions League with the club in 2015 and the CAF Confederation Cup in 2016.

He also had a spell with clubsides in Portugal including FC Braga, and was a major part of the Zambian squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 under Frenchman, Herve Renard.