Nigerian-born world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Olaseni Oluwafemi Joshua has been honoured with a street named after him in Sagamu, Ogun State, few hours after he threw a fresh threat at his British rival, Tyson Fury, who he is billed to battle twice in 2021.
Megasportsarena.com gatheerd that the International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion confirmed that progress has been made in the past week over his proposed £200m showdown with ‘The Gypsy King’ in May 2021.
Even as he prepares for what has been widely regarded as the biggest boxing bout in British sports history and one of the country’s most attractive events ever, Joshua would be buoyed with news that he now has a street named after him in the ancient town of Sagamu, where his father was born.
That comes following a declaration by the chairman of Sagamu Local Government Area, Gbenga Banjo, while speaking at the champ’s ancestral family house, that what used to be known as Cinema Road will now officially become Anthony Joshua Way.
Banjo explained that the decision was taken in order to show appreciation to ‘AJ’ for identifying with Sagamu and bringing glory to Remoland through his global strides, while Remo Growth and Development Foundation commended the chairman for taking the historical initiative.
Describing Joshua as a Remo International Ambassador, the foundation urged youths to emulate him, adding: “A call is made to other sons and daughters of Remoland, most especially the youths of Remoland.
“To emulate the virtues of Anthony Joshua by being the best in their chosen careers. And also to always be law-abiding citizens and stay away from any acts that can lead to social unrest.”
It is another befitting honour from his fatherland for Joshua, who recently retained his belts after a ninth-round knock-out of Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev, but the London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist has already turned his focus fully on the upcoming clash with Fury.
While throwing more light on his plans for the blockbuster fight in May 2021, ‘AJ’ interjected that he wants seven more years at the top, but quickly stressed that his immediate priority is to settle a score with Fury over an old Rolex.
A report by British newspaper, Daily Mail added: “Having initially resisted opportunities to stoke fires of that rivalry with Fury in the wake of beating Kubrat Pulev, Joshua has now escalated the narrative by saying he wants to ‘take Fury’s head off his shoulders.’
“It came amid a reminiscence of his famous sparring encounter with the WBC champion in 2010. Audio footage has recently resurfaced in which Fury, then an emerging professional, admitted he took a ‘beating’ from the 20-year-old amateur.
“That session came with the caveat that if Joshua or any other heavyweight could beat Fury, they could take his Rolex, although the watch never ultimately changed hands. With a super-fight between the Brits now closer than ever to materializing.”
Joshua also declared: “All I wanted was his Rolex watch. He said before that spar (to Boxing News), “If you can beat me up or knock me out, you can have my Rolex watch. I was hungry then and I am even hungrier now.
“It was a good spar. I didn’t really know too much, it was just passion. Now I have some boxing IQ and passion, I know it will be a great fight. There was a Rolex but now there is an even bigger pot of gold at the end of this rainbow and I want to take his head off his shoulders when that fight happens.
“After the Pulev fight I didn’t want to do any interviews – less talk and more action. I stood by that. But now that we’re talking about it, a week or so after, and I’m ready, I’m keen. If that fight happens I’m sure that I’ll win. How close are we?
“I promise you conversations are happening. We’re definitely looking at the landscape. But until you hear it from me, don’t buy into anything. I’m taking my time – because there has been a lot of back-and-forth for years. I’ve been chasing this road to undisputed and when the time is right I’ll announce it and I’ll have my mind fully focused on the job at hand.
“The offers will be made, substantial offers. I’m looking more optimistically as if it will happen to be honest with you. He should take this fight with both hands. I promise you this: I will put in a serious offer to fight Tyson Fury and if he’s serious himself, he will take it. If he’s not I will fight (Oleksandr) Usyk and leave it there.’
However, Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn is raised doubt about the big fight taking place in England, as he acknowledged that the organisers would need a full capacity in the UK to have any hope of the proposed mega-bout staying in the champions’ home country.
This is despite the boxing world noting that Joshua and Fury have never been closer to agreeing a historic fight that would crown the heavyweight division’s undisputed champion; but Hearn pointed out that, with the location yet to be discussed, keeping the British heavyweights in the UK will be difficult.
Hearn told Sky Sports: “Our plan, after speaking to [Fury’s US-based promoter] Bob Arum, is to get the deal in place then go out to the relevant sites. Obviously we all would like this fight to take place in the UK but you’ve seen London go into Tier 4 now.
“We had a crowd on Saturday [for Joshua’s win over Kubrat Pulev] but that has been taken away for the time being. There are a lot of unknowns in that respect. Both fighters will have to take a significant reduction in purse for this fight to take place in the UK, unfortunately. Probably half and, without a crowd, maybe 80 per cent.”
