President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday congratulated the world heavy weight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua for regaining his world championship belts.
The president who made the remark while addressing Nigerians living in the UK which Joshua was among also said the pugilist had put Nigeria “on the world map again like Hogan Bassey.”
For his part, Joshua pledged to “stand up for Nigeria anytime you need me.”
Photos from the event were first posted on social media by the president’s official photographer, Bayo Omoboriowo.
Videos also trended on the social media showing the heavyweight champion prostrating before the President.
In his remarks, the president congratulated the Joshua for regaining his world championship belt, as well as putting Nigeria “on the world map again like Hogan Bassey.”
Joshua, whose mother is Nigerian and father is of Nigerian and Irish ancestry, defeated Ruiz Jnr last December in a unanimous decision of 118-110, 118-110 and 119-109 to regain the International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) titles he lost to the Mexican in June.
The British boxer was born to a Nigerian-Irish father, Robert Joshua, and a Nigerian mother, Yeta Odusanya.
Joshua’s father (Robert) is the grandson of one of Sagamu’s greatest men and late patriarch Omo-Oba Daniel Adebambo Joshua, who was born in 1882.
Joshua now has his WBO, WBA, IBF, IBO heavyweight titles back.
He is the fourth deposed world heavyweight champion to win an immediate rematch in 127-year history of the category — 11th fighter to have attempted it.
