Sports

Fury ’ll Bring Out The Best In Me – Joshua

Published

6 years ago

December 16, 2020

Anthony Joshua has welcomed Tyson Fury’s claim that he will beat the unified champion of the world “inside three rounds” and says he feels his British rival will “bring out the best in me”.
Joshua, 31, knocked out Kubrat Pulev in round nine on Saturday to increase hope he could fight Fury next.
“I want the fight next. I can’t wait to knock him out,” WBC champion Fury said in a video posted on social media.
“That’s good to hear,” Joshua said. “At least, I can get him in the ring.”
“That’s what we want right, so he’s on the right track,” Joshua told BBC Radio 5 Live Boxing in his changing room.
Joshua, 31, was impressive against Pulev in their heavyweight contest in front of 1,000 fans at Wembley Arena. The Bulgarian challenger was forced to take a standing count in round three and floored before the bell, and was knocked down twice more in round nine.
In the instant, aftermath, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said work would start on Sunday to finalise a bout with Fury.
Fury’s US promoter, Bob Arum said he would begin work on Monday to secure the “biggest fight since Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier in 1971”.
WBC world heavyweight champion, Fury has been installed as an odds-on favourite to beat IBF, WBA and WBO belt holder Joshua if they fight next in a bout which would see all four heavyweight titles contested for the first time.
Asked about the odds, Joshua added: “It’s good. I said he’s talented and he will bring out the best in me. So that’s brilliant. I’ve been to his fights, I’ve watched him, so when I fight him, it will be good to change those odds and put them in my favour.”
Joshua revealed he continued to have animosity with Pulev in the ring after his knockout win, which in turn influenced his initial television interview at ringside.
“I just wanted to fight. I was ready to fight anyone,” Joshua added. “I didn’t want to do any interviews or speak to anyone. I just felt like this is just about me. I’m not in competition with anyone, I don’t want to have to please anyone, I want to be myself. I want to be able to make mistakes.
“It’s hard when you’re underneath the microscope all the time. It’s a lot of pressure so I was in that mood where I’m ready to fight everyone. Me and Pulev were still going at it after.”
Speaking more than two hours after his win, a calm Joshua revealed former five-weight world champion, Floyd Mayweather had spent time with him in his changing room and stated he can “go all the way” though there is “room for improvement”.
Two fights with Fury would go some way to adding to Joshua’s legacy and Promoter Hearn said they will target May for the first, with a second in November or December.
“Sometimes, there are words backwards and forwards from both camps, I don’t think that’s going to do any good,” Hearn told 5 Live Boxing.
“We just all want to make the fight. Now is the time. We will start the ball rolling. I don’t think it’s that difficult. The crux of the deal I have always said is agreed now in terms of numbers and money splits. There are only some minor details. So there’s no reason we can’t be up and running.”

Sports

Rivers-born Chess Player Clinches Third Position At World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship

Published

4 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

A veteran Rivers State chess player, Apollos Akomaka, has finished in joint 3rd place at the just-concluded World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship held in Abuja.

Akomaka, who is the director of physiotherapy at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, overcame a shaky start to secure a podium finish in the 11-round rapid event that began on August 2.

The tournament featured top chess players from several countries.

After losing his opening game, the defining moment for Akomaka came between Rounds 7 and 11.

He raised his game and began defeating some of the top-ranked players in the event.

The Rivers-born player ended the championship tied for 3rd place in the U2000 category with 6.5 points out of 11, alongside Cameroon’s national champion, Noumbo Vidal.

His final game was against Vidal, with the Nigerian playing the black pieces.

Vidal opened with a queen’s gambit but quickly transposed into an English opening with a double fianchetto attack.

Akomaka responded sharply with a king’s Indian defense and soon launched a kingside attack from a defensive position.

The pressure paid off, resulting in an immediate material gain, a knight for a rook, and leaving Akomaka with a strong attacking advantage.

Vidal fought hard to avoid mate and managed to steer the game into an endgame, where he found some respect. At that point, the Cameroon champion offered a draw, which Akomaka accepted.

Speaking after the event, Akomaka said that he is resilient and determined after the poor start but happy that he finished on the podium.

He expressed optimism that in subsequent competitions he will make Rivers State proud and Nigeria at large.

Akomaka has won both local and national chess championships in recent times.

He is passionate about chess; besides, he has equally sponsored several national chess tournaments in Nigeria.

The World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship concluded with Akomaka of Rivers State,

Nigeria, battling back from an early loss to end among the top three in his category

Tonye Orabere/Kiadum Edookor

Sports

Team Nigeria Secures Women’s 4x100m, 4x400m Finals at World U20 Championships

Published

4 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

Team Nigeria continued its impressive showing at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, securing places in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay finals after strong performances in the heats.

The Nigerian quartet of Becky Ebiyadi, Jecinta Lawrence, Tejiri Praise Ugoh and Faith Ezechukwu booked their place in the women’s 4x400m final after clocking a season’s best of 3:35.28.

Nigeria finished third in the heat behind Italy and Great Britain, doing enough to advance to the final and remain firmly in contention for a medal.

In the women’s 4x100m, Ugoh joined Lucy Nwankwo, Chigozie Nwankwo and Oluebube Ezechukwu as Nigeria produced another season’s best, clocking 43.65 seconds to secure an automatic ticket to the women’s 4x100m final.

The qualification was sealed by a sensational anchor leg from Ezechukwu. Receiving the baton nearly 20 metres behind the United States, the Nigerian launched a determined charge down the home straight, rapidly closing the gap before edging the Americans at the line to claim the third automatic qualifying position.

Nigeria stopped the clock at 43.65 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the United States, who finished in 43.67 seconds.

The performances mean Nigeria will now contest both women’s relay finals, further strengthening the country’s medal prospects at the championships.

In Saturday’s evening phase of the event, Success Uyibo will compete in the 200m women’s final while the 4x100m compete in the women’s final.

Sports

Poor welfare forced me to dump Delta for Enugu, says world – Nwachukwu

Published

4 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

World Record holder and Commonwealth Games champion, Goodness Nwachukwu, has revealed why she dumped Delta State for Enugu State.

The sudden departure of Nwachukwu, a multiple gold medallist, from Team Delta to the Coal City, Enugu , sparked controversy within the sports family, with officials of Delta State Sports Commission accusing the president of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, of manipulating the system for the athlete to dump the state.

But Nwachukwu, who broke the World Record to win a gold medal for Team Nigeria in the Women’s Discus F42 event at the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has cleared the air on the circumstances that led to her movement to Enugu State.

Speaking with The Tidesports source report, shortly after winning the gold medal, Nwachukwu said: “It is not true that anybody aided my movement from Delta State to Enugu. Rather, it was Delta State that forced me to leave because of poor remuneration.