Our Reporter
The recent victory of Anthony Joshua over Andy Ruiz in their world heavyweight boxing title fight in Saudi Arabia is a tribute to his fortitude, consistency and fighting spirit.
Joshua won the fight on points, scoring 118-110, 118-110 and 119-110 from the three judges. His longer reach, better punching and greater stamina overcame his opponent’s raw courage and superior hand speed.
In winning so comprehensively, he effectively laid the ghosts of his shock loss to Ruiz in June, when a combination of overconfidence and underestimation conspired to deliver one of the greatest upsets in the history of contemporary boxing.
With the win, Joshua has regained the International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) titles, and picked up an estimated U.S.$ 50 million.
The victory is a peculiarly accurate reflection of Joshua’s personal qualities and his Nigerian ancestry. When he lost to Ruiz, he conducted himself with all the dignity of a fairly-beaten champion: he congratulated Ruiz, refused to take refuge in alleged officiating errors, judges’ caprice, or the conspiracy theories that were rampant. He accepted that he had lost fair and square to an opponent who simply happened to be better on the night.
Joshua’s humility in defeat turned into magnanimity in victory. He thanked God, praised Ruiz and congratulated him on putting up a resolute defence of his titles. He paid tribute to those who had helped him, and acknowledged his Nigerian ancestry.
In coming back from defeat and overcoming the inevitable self-doubt that accompanied it, Joshua manifested the most positive traits of his Nigerian roots.
For all their many faults, Nigerians are globally acknowledged for their never-say-die attitude. No matter how desperate the situation, they are perpetually optimistic, ever hopeful and consistently determined to turn adversity into advantage.
Joshua’s social media interactions after his loss in June clearly demonstrated this trait. He was honest about the perceived flaws in his approach to the fight, but was also confident that he had worked to overcome them and would definitely do better at the next confrontation. As he declared after his victory, “I said to myself, I was going to correct myself.”
As expected, Nigeria is basking in the glow of Joshua’s achievement. His ancestral hometown of Sagamu in Ogun State went into ecstatic celebrations in the wake of his victory. Politicians and celebrities sent effusive congratulatory messages. The country was united in its happiness at Joshua’s triumph.
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If the nation is to enjoy similar experiences more frequently, it must ensure that it creates an enabling environment that will produce home-grown Joshuas. It is not enough to claim relationships with individuals after they have achieved renown, especially when Nigeria’s contribution to making them what they have become is negligible.
This is even more crucial given the country’s stellar achievements in boxing in the past. Nigeria can boast of Hogan “Kid” Bassey, Dick “Tiger” Ihetu and Nojim Maiyegun all of whom have distinguished themselves in the Sweet Science.
Their success was due to a strong school sports ecosystem, supported by regular local and international competitions, and durable government support.
Today, ambitious athletes are compelled to either seek private sponsorship or go abroad in order to realise their dreams; it is no surprise that Joshua, like almost all high-profile athletes, lives and works outside Nigeria.
If the conditions they benefit from are replicated at home, more sports stars will emerge to the glory of Nigeria and the delight of its people.
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