Joshua is new wimbledon Lion

Britain’s heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua says Wembley just added a “fourth lion to the den” as he committed to staging his next two bouts at the historic stadium.

Wembley is the historic home to the England football team whose nom de guerre is “The Three Lions”.

The 28-year-old 2012 Olympic champion — whose epic 11th round knockout of Ukrainian great Wladimir Klitschko in April 2017 drew a  post war attendance record at Wembley of 90,000 — has fights planned for Wembley on September 22 this year and April 13 next year.

Joshua — who holds the IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO belts — has since filled Principality Stadium in Cardiff twice.

“I am returning to Wembley after two mega fights in Cardiff,” Joshua said in a statement. “Being north London born and raised it is in my blood.

“The opportunity to fight in such an iconic stadium is normally a once in career opportunity, so to be given the chance to fight there again is amazing.

“Wembley just added a fourth lion to the den.”

Joshua returns to the capital after the sellout bouts in Cardiff where he defended his belts against Carlos Takam last October, then took New Zealander Joseph Parker’s WBO belt in March -– with the two events attracting over 150,000 fans.

Joshua’s likely opponent for the first bout back at Wembley is Russia’s Alexander Povetkin.

Since he beat Parker, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has been trying to set up a unification bout with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, but has not yet managed to do a deal with the American’s camp.

The WBA lost patience over the matter in late June and Joshua was told to defend his title against Povetkin, who is the mandatory challenger, although that is yet to be agreed upon either.

Bayern buys afarance defender Pavard for 2019

Bayern Munich have secured France defender Benjamin Pavard from the start of the 2019-2020 season, German football magazine Kicker reported on Thursday.

Bayern reportedly agreed the deal with Stuttgart before the World Cup, where the 22-year-old, who has been playing fullback for France, scored a spectacular goal in the victory over Argentina.

Kicker reported that the deal is worth 35 million euros ($40.9 million), which, it said, was the value of the buyout clause in his contract.

Pavard, who can also play as a centre back, has just helped Stuttgart win promotion to the Bundesliga and the club’s sports director Michael Reschke had insisted the club would not let him go this season.

Pavard joined Stuttgart from Lille in 2016 for 4 million euros.

Williams warns Hazard

Brazil star Willian says he is looking forward to coming out on top when he faces his club colleague Eden Hazard in the World Cup quarter-final between Brazil and Belgium.

The teams meet in Kazan on Friday evening with Brazil the favourites, despite the quality in a Belgian side captained by Hazard, who plays with Willian at Chelsea.

“He is a very humble player and I like being with him on a daily basis at club level. But now it is time for each of us to defend our corner and I hope to come out on top,” Willian said at Brazil’s training base in Sochi on Wednesday.

“He is one of the best players in the world, but now I am on a different side and I want to do everything to win. I know we will remain friends after,” added the 29-year-old, who will also be facing Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Willian is expected to keep his place in coach Tite’s starting line-up for the game after producing his best performance at the World Cup so far in Monday’s 2-0 victory against Mexico.

It was a performance which suggested the five-time winners of the trophy were comfortable with their tag as favourites, having recorded three straight wins since an opening 1-1 draw against Switzerland.

“The team has evolved since the first game,” Willian added. “There was nervousness in that first match, a more complicated start against Switzerland, and we have grown step by step. I think we are at the same level as in the qualifiers.”

He added that Neymar is getting better by the game, but the same can be said of Willian himself, who is one of the few survivors from the 2014 squad.

“I am more mature and have more experience than at the last World Cup, and the team is more consistent,” insisted Willian, who appeared from the bench in the 7-1 semi-final humiliation against Germany in 2014.

Brazil will leave their base on Russia’s Black Sea coast for the final time on Thursday to head to Kazan for Friday’s game.

With Marcelo and Douglas Costa having shaken off injuries, it is the first time in this World Cup that Tite has had his whole squad fit.

However, Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro will miss the match due to suspension, with Fernandinho expected to replace him.

FG plans to promote Tech among youth

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, says the ministry has developed plans to promote technological innovations among Nigerian youths.

Onu stated this when a delegation of inventors and start- ups, under the New Horizons System Solutions, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

He also said that the existing standing committee of Engineers, Scientists on Innovation would be strengthened to enable it to expand its operations and achieve the needed results.

Onu said, “The ministry is also considering ways to woo venture capitalists to invest in several innovations and products of the agencies of the ministry as a means of engaging the youths to be productive, employable and become creators of wealth for their own benefit and that of the country.”

He said that venture capitalism was another avenue where Nigerian scientists, researchers and innovators should key into to close the yawning gaps that lack of funding poses.

The minister also said that the Technology and Innovation Expo was another key programme of the ministry where innovators and inventors display their inventions to create a synergy between them and the informal sector for commercialisation.

He added that another programme of the ministry was the 774 Young Nigeria Scientific Presidential Award Competition, which is aimed at promoting creativity and inventiveness among young scientists.

“Some of the winners of the competitive programme have been awarded scholarship up to PhD level by the Federal Government,” Onu added.

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new apc reform

A former ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Buba Galadima, is heading a faction of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Galadima, at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, announced the formation of the Reformed All Progressives Congress.

The press conference was attended by the leader of new Peoples Democratic Party’s bloc in the APC, Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

Galadima described the local and state congresses as well as the national convention of the APC as undemocratic.   

   He stated, “The nPDP, a group that has made a major contribution to the emergence of the APC administration,  has made strenuous efforts to invite attention to inequities, injustice and poor management in our party without any success.

 “The nPDP had shown good faith and commitment to the party, but it has been rewarded with indifference and even contempt. It is obvious that the leadership of the APC has decided to shut out members of the APC, as well as other members who have raised genuine grievances and a desire to improve the responsiveness of the APC to the desire of members for a party founded on democratic principles.

.“Under the circumstances, patriotic elements and most of the original founders of the APC have found themselves in the opposing side of this charade. Most of the delegates who bought and paid for forms for the congresses and convention and were elected as delegates have come together to take control and give legitimacy to APC to be now known as and called Reformed -APC (R-APC).