Sports

Ahead of ‘Super-Fight’, Joshua, Ngannou talk tough

Published

9 months ago

March 5, 2024

Nigerian-British former heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, and Cameroon’s Francis Ngannou have been talking tough ahead of their upcoming heavyweight clash scheduled for Friday in Saudi Arabia.

While Joshua, a former world heavyweight champion, has
has vowed to take down Ngannou via an early knockout, Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, has also promised to take down the more experienced Joshua.

In an interview on Monday, the 34-year-old Joshua said a
win over Ngannou in the “Super-Fight” will be a statement to other challengers in the future.

“I believe I can knock him out. Definitely. I would love to knock him out and make a statement,” Joshua told Sky Sports.

“Physically I feel strong, feeling good. Strong enough to get the job done and mentally I’m in a place where I’m ready for war. I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Joshua added.

On his part, Ngannou believes he will triumph over the more accomplished Joshua.

“Almost everyone in this division can knock anyone out. But how do you land or carry that power and energy from first round to fifth round to 10 rounds and still hit someone hard or knock somebody out after all the fatigue? It’s a chess game.

“I’m optimistic and I think, brilliant, I want that. I want someone in front of me who thinks they can knock me out.

“But let’s see how good they really are. I want to be right in front of them, making it difficult for them to achieve their goal and see how much they really want it.

“This Friday, it’s going to go down, so I can’t wait for the opportunity to show my skills and combat this person who thinks he can knock me out,” Ngannou, 37, told journalists upon arriving in Saudi Arabia on Monday.

Related Topics:Anthony Joshua Boxing Featured Francis Ngannou

Click to comment

Sports

TP Mazembe pip AS FAR to win African Women’s Champions League

Published

14 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Isaac Dachen

TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) became the third team to win the 2024 African Women’s Champions League after narrowly defeating AS FAR of Morocco 1-0 in the final played on Sunday at the El Jadida’s Stade Ben Ahmed El Abdi Stadium.

TP Mazembe claimed the title for the first time courtesy of a 10th minute penalty which was converted by Marlene Kasaj after AS FAR captain Aziza Rabbah handled the ball in the box.

The Congolese side should have doubled their lead six minutes later when an unmarked Merveille Kanjinga fired wide from seven yards out before the more fancied home team gradually grew into the match and looked to cancel the deficit and add to their continental triumph in 2022.

But AS FAR put in a subdued display and failed to test Mazembe’s goalkeeper Fideline Ngoy, with tournament top scorer Doha El Madani who had netted six goals in their run to the final, wasting their best chance as she sliced a first-half free-kick wide.

With the triumph, TP Mazembe carted home the giant trophy and a cheque for $600,000 (£479,000) after the prize money was increased for the fourth edition of the tournament, while the AS FAR went home with $400,000 (£319,000).

Sports

Wafcon 2024 draw throws up interesting pairings

Published

2 days ago

November 23, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The draw for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) holding in Morocco from July 5 to 26 next year which was held on Friday, threw up some interesting match-ups to look forward to as hosts Morocco found themselves in what has been described as the group of death.

The Atlas Lionesses will have to contend with Zambia, DR Congo and Senegal in Group A, while Group B has record 11-time continental champions, the Super Falcons of Nigeria slugging it out with Tunisia, Algeria and Botswana, just as current defending champions, Banyana Banyana of South Africa will do battle with Ghana, Mali and Tanzania in Group C.

The top two sides in each group will progress to the quarter-finals, alongside the two best third-placed finishers.

Though qualification for the 2024 Wafcon was completed in December last year, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was forced to push the finals into 2025 because of international football’s congested calendar, which included the participation of Nigeria and Zambia at the Olympics.

Morocco also staged the 2022 edition of Wafcon, ending as runners-up, and former international Fatiha Laassiri believes home support will provide “a real advantage” next year.

Wafcon 2024 group draw with world ranking in brackets:

Group A: Morocco (hosts, 59), Zambia (62), Senegal (83), DR Congo (102).

Group B: Nigeria (36), Tunisia (78), Algeria (84), Botswana (153).

Group C: South Africa (holders, 50), Ghana (66), Mali (81), Tanzania (145).