Anthony Joshua in a group photograph with President Buhari and other top Nigerian officials in London on Saturday/Photo: Nigeria Presidency

Anthony Joshua presents heavyweight titles to Nigerian president in London

World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has presented his IBF, WBA, WBO, and IBO titles to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The 30-year-old celebrated his recent victory with President Buhari on Saturday in London when the Nigerian leader met with some Nigerians living in the United Kingdom.

Excited Joshua, a British-Nigerian, could not hide his feelings as he prostrated to pay homage to President Buhari, in line with the tradition of the Yoruba cultural group.

Anthony Joshua prostrates for President Buhari in in Yoruba tradition during the meeting/Photo: Nigeria Presidency

 

Joshua, whose full names are Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua, was born on 15 October 1989 in Watford, Hertfordshire, the son of Yeta and Robert Joshua. His mother is Nigerian, while his father is of Nigerian and Irish ancestry. Joshua’s Nigerian background can be specifically traced back to the Yoruba people.

The meeting had in attendance Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; and his Trade and Investment counterpart, Adeniyi Adebayo.

Others included the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa; and Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, Justice Adesola Oguntade, among other dignitaries.

Joshua met with the President just six weeks after he beat fellow boxer Andy Ruiz to reclaim his IBF, WBA and WBO titles.

Dominating from the outset, he outclassed the Mexican-American to score a unanimous points victory in the bout tagged ‘Clash on the Dunes’ on December 7, 2019, in Saudi Arabia.

President Buhari speaking during the event/Photo: Nigeria Presidency

 

Joshua, who suffered a stunning knockout defeat to Ruiz in New York in June 2019, produced a masterclass to win the fight by margins of 118-110 on two scorecards with the third judge making it 119-109.

President Buhari is in London to participate in the inaugural UK-Africa Investment Summit holding on Monday, 20 January. The summit is hosted by the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and it is expected to bring together African leaders, international business chief executives, and heads of international organisations.

Kola Tella

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