Anthony Joshua has said he has been through a lot of pain over the past two years as he bids to become a three-time world champion against fellow British heavyweight Daniel Dubois tomorrow.
The 34-year-old will take on IBF belt-holder Dubois, 27, in front of a post-war British record 96,000 fans at Wembley Stadium.
Joshua has rebuilt and worked his way back to mandatory challenger position having broken down in tears after losing a second consecutive fight to Oleksandr Usyk in August 2022.
“I’ve worked hard and been through a lot of pain, and I’ve worked hard to get better,” he told Tidesports source.
“Hopefully those experiences won’t happen again because as you saw that night, I don’t like losing.”
The 2012 Olympic gold medallist is on a four-fight winning streak and brutally knocked out Francis Ngannou in his last outing.
“I think I’m gifted with an ability to fight and compete,” Joshua said. “In boxing you’re able to read certain tendencies, you’re able to read your opponent, so I can always have an eye for that.
“But there’s a supreme level that you can take it to. And it’s happened over the past eight or 10 months. I’ve really honed in on those skills.”

In the words of American lyricist and essayist, Sylvia Pratt in her famous poem entitled Conversation Among the Ruined:”… which such blight wrought on our bankrupt estate; what ceremony of words can patch the havoc”.
It does appear that Nigerians cannot but join Sylvia Pratt to ask “What ceremony of words can patch the havoc” when viewed against the fact that Nigeria, a country of over two hundred million people cannot train up a handful of athletes to win laurels for the nation at Olympic Games.
It is no exaggeration that Nigeria did not win any medal of any colour or type, be it Gold, Silver or Bronze at the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where Kenya, South Africa and Morocco won Laurels for their nations.
It may not be out of place to describe the experience in Paris not only as a sad commentary but appalling.
To this end, before the Theory of Decay sets in, it is pertinent to evaluate the performance of Nigeria visa vis known eurocentric dialects.
In the first place, the concept of Decay Theory or Theory of Decay is a psychological construct which simply means the wearing of memory with the passage of time.
Propounded and pioneered by a German Psychologist Herman Ebbinghaus in 1885, the Theory of Decay says that: Memory actually fades away to mere passage of time.
According to the German scholar: Information is less available for later retrieval as time passes and memory as well as memory strength wears away.
The Theory of Decay or Decay Theory has bearing with the Theory of Forgetting in Psychology and Interference Theory.
Some Critics have attributed Nigeria’s numerous challenges including the sphere of Sports to short memory span while some others trace it to abuse of memory span or complete inability to learn from past events to plan for the future.
Thus, Nigeria tends to repeat history at regular intervals as observed or experienced with Nigeria’s performance in the 2024 Paris Olympics where Nigeria did not win any medal.
With a sense of hindsight lovers of history can remember Eurocentric scholars with respect to recent development in global affairs including the field of Sports.
It would be recalled that more than one hundred and fifty years ago, German scholar George Hegal had argued that:” Africans were subhuman and the only way they could come to the lower rung on the ladder of humanity was to undergo slavery in Europe.”
The question to ask is;could it be true that Africans were or are subhumans?.
As if that was not enough another scholar Professor Trevor Roper in his 1963 inaugural Lecture asserted: “African Past is darkness and darkness cannot be subject for historical investigation”
The remarks of another European Scholar David Hume is no less derogatory too when he said “Africa has no ingenious Manufacture, no arts, no Science”.
Truly, these remarks were false and Ladden with Ignorance and pride.
For instance, in the Bible book of Romans Chapter 10:12 “For there is no difference between the Jews and the gentiles for the same Lord is Lord of all and richly bless all who call on him”.
While it is true that the European Scholars did not attribute those negative remarks to Nigerians alone, Nigerians should truly lead the crusade to correct them rather than conducting itself in a manner that seems to justify them.More so,Nigeria is seen as ‘Big-Brother’ in African diplomacy.
One cannot but remain startled that Nigeria either sought or accepted grains and other food items from war ravaged countries when Nigeria is not directly in war with any country but for poor management and gross ineptitude by the political class.
It is regrettable to observe that about five other Nigerians either won Laurels for other countries or played a key role with other nations that won medals as a team work.
For instance, Annette Echi Kunwoke won medal for the United States of America in Hammer throw a track and field event, Nisser Saliwa won Silver in  women’s 400 metres for Bahrain.
It would be emphasized that Nasser Saliwa was born in Onitsha as EbeleChukwu Agbaopuwo of a Nigerian Woman but Bahrain father.
Records show that Yemisi Ogunleye won a medal in shot put for Germany.
Others are Michael Olise, a member of male U 23 football team of France and Samu Omorodion was part of U 23 Olympic football team for Spain.
Interestingly, succour came from the superlative performance of Rena Wakama-led Basket Ball team of Nigeria that beat Canada and Australia to earn quarterfinal slot for the first time  in Olympic Games which in turn earn Nigeria Basket Ball team 8th place ranking in the world.
Rena Wakama, a US based rising star in coaching though from Wakama Okrika she was in the United states of America who had won Laurels for Rivers State and Nigerian by implication.
In the game of football,more than ninety percent of players ply their trade in European countries or in other nations before they may be invited to play for Nigeria and in other foreign competitions when other nations particularly Morocco, Egypt, Sudan and South Africa parades footballers in it’s local leagues as well as indigenous Coaches.
Today, the contract to engage Bruno Labadia, a German tactician, Jose Pesero and Ghenor Rohr had hit the rock
Nigeria could best be described as a nation that has exhibited deficiency and inefficiency in managing the domestic economy and infrastructural affairs, among others.
Worse still, from a critical Evaluation, Nigeria seems to Justify the Eurocentric notions that for any black nation or individual to excell or succeed in life they must migrate to Europe, USA, now China and Saudi Arabia and this is not fair indeed.
Nigeria must join other African Nations and their citizens to fight mediocrity, subservient, servitude, poor management and ineptitude to migrate to greatness to engender prosperity and Pride of a nation.Nigeria we hail thee!
The  time to act is now.

Baridorn Sika

Baridorn Sika is a public affairs analyst.

Following the embarrassing outing of Team Nigeria at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the President, Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Dr Daniel Igali, has called on the federal government to take sports development seriously.
Igali made the call during a press briefing with journalists in Asaba on Wednesday.
According to the world and Olympic champion, the fire brigade approach to tournaments has contributed to the underdevelopment of the game across the country, thus hindering the progress.
Igali noted that if Nigeria wants to do well in international events, it must re-channel its focus on things that matter, which is the age grade competition.
Stressing that deliberate steps must be made to eliminate age cheating as the aim of the tournament is being defeated.
Igali, who maintained that every tournament comes with its peculiarities, said the youth games are becoming a failed projection because those obligated to screen athletes have turned it to the highest bidder kind of game
“To address this challenge, we must adopt a proactive approach. the government would have to take sports development seriously.”
“That being said, I must commend the Delta State Government for hosting the Youth Games, but I must express my unpleasantness about the tournament which is age cheating because this is the most important competition we have in the country today.” Igali stated.
Daniel Igali, who said the advancement and promotion of grassroots sports should be encouraged at all levels, frowned at some states wanting to win at all cost, hence discrediting the efforts of others.
Meanwhile, the NWF president said that the Wrestling Federation will invite top six wrestlers from the ongoing 8th National Youth Games in Asaba to join the national camp in Bayelsa for intensive training and nutrition.