By: Kenneth Appiah Bani.
British-Nigerian heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, made a memorable visit to Ghana over the weekend as a special guest at the Battle of the Beasts boxing event, hosted by Sharaf Mahama at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra. The event, which brought together some of the continent’s top boxing talents and enthusiasts, further cemented Ghana’s place as a hub for African boxing.
After the event Anthony Joshua, along with Ghanaian boxing legend Azumah “Zoom Zoom” Nelson, paid a courtesy call on the President at the Jubilee House the following day. The meeting was marked by a warm exchange of ideas focused on sports, heritage, and development in Africa.
In his remarks, Anthony Joshua expressed deep appreciation for Ghana’s hospitality and culture.
He introduce himself to the president
“My name is Anthony Joshua. I’m British-born, African from Nigeria, just across the road. I’ve been spending a lot of time in Nigeria recently, realizing that it’s important to know not just where you’re going, but also where you’ve come from.”
He admitted that Ghana was not originally part of his travel plans, but the experience left him amazed and inspired.
“Coming to Ghana actually wasn’t on my agenda. For some reason, everyone in Nigeria put Nigeria here, and Ghana just hit me. Now that I’m here, I’m looking around and I’m like they’ve been lying to me! I’m very impressed. This is a beautiful country with an amazing culture, great hospitality, the airport, the organization. I can’t wait to go back and tell the world how beautiful this place is.”
Joshua highlighted how sports opened doors for him and how it can be a catalyst for broader development.
“Sports is what got me in a room like this. I understand the power of talking with my fists, but also how influential sports can be and the kind of rooms it gets you into. I’ve been calling friends we can bring investment into Ghana, we can bring investment into Africa.”
He further shared his intentions to go beyond boxing, connecting Africa to global opportunities through business and collaboration.
“Sports is short-lived, and then we cross over into business. There are things we can bring from our networks in sports to build bridges between Africa and the rest of the world.”
Joshua ended by expressing appreciation to Sharaf Mahama for the invitation and experience:
“Sharaf, amazing man. Thank you so much for bringing me here. Long may the legacy of your life continue.”
President Mahama commended Joshua for his humility and commitment to Africa’s progress, welcoming him as a global sports icon and a potential ambassador for African boxing and development.
Anthony Joshua’s visit not only uplifted Ghana’s boxing community but also opened doors to new conversations around sports diplomacy, investment, and international collaboration for national growth.
Video credit :3news
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