Cameroon and Nigeria will rekindle rivalry again for the third time in 2024 when Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou square-off in a 10-round heavyweight boxing fight.
The fight in the Saudi Arabian city of Riyadh would be Ngannou’s second professional boxing fight after making his debut against Tyson Fury in October 2023.
Joshua, on the other hand, is a former unified WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight champion and heads into Friday’s fight with a record of three consecutive wins.
As things stand in 2024, Nigeria have a 2-0 lead against Cameroon after the Super Eagles defeated the Indomitable Lions in the round of 16 of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.
The Super Falcons extended the dominance by thumping the Indomitable Lionesses in the CAF Women’s Olympics Qualifying Tournament in February to progress into the final round.
The rivalry has now switched to the boxing ring with Joshua who was born to Nigerian parents in Watford set to lock horns against Cameroon’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) star Ngannou.
Joshua attended Tai Solarin’s Mayflower Secondary School in Ogun State at his tender age but relocated to the United Kingdom at the age 12 due to marital dispute between his parents.
The 34-year-old was in Nigeria in 2021 and he visited his roots in Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State where he met the traditional ruler and there is a hall named “Baba Josh Memorial Hall” in the town where Sagamu residents and his local fan club gather to watch every of his fights for free.
Joshua’s love for Nigeria is clearly displayed on his arm with the map of Africa that has Nigeria’s border clearly marked.
He won’t just be fighting for the Nigerian pride against Ngannou at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh because anything else apart from a win could make his career take a big blow.
Joshua is bidding to challenge for a heavyweight title since his back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk in September 2021 and August 2022.
