Oshoala, Nkwocha listed among Africa’s 25 best athletes
Super Falcons attacker, Asisat Oshoala, and former Nigeria international, Perpetual Nkwocha, have been included in Africa’s 25 Best Athletes of the 21st Century list.
The list of Africa’s 25 Best Athletes of the 21st Century was compiled by ESPN.
Apart from Oshoala and Nkwocha, other Nigerians who made the list include Mixed Martial Art (MMA) stars Israel Adesanya, Kamaru Usman and American Football star Osi Umenyiora.
Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Didier Drogba, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane made the cut while athletics greats such as Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia), Caster Semenya (South Africa), Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya), Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia) among others were listed.
Commenting on Oshoala, ESPN wrote: “Oshoala, who currently plays for Bay FC in the NWSL, has taken African women’s football to new heights. The Nigeria striker has been the African women’s Player of the Year a record six times, thanks in large part to her stellar five seasons with Barcelona.
“Her 92 league goals for Barça came at a rate of roughly one every 65 minutes. There, she won the Spanish Primera Division four times, and the UEFA Women’s Champions League thrice. For Nigeria, she’s been part of the Super Falcons side that won the African title three times, and is set to represent the Super Falcons again at the Paris Olympics.“
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In its remarks on Adesanya: “Born in Lagos, although he moved to New Zealand aged 10 after a brief stint living in Ghana, Adesanya dominated the middleweight division of the UFC from 2019-2022, finally losing to Alex Pereira in November 2022 before beating him in a rematch five months later.
“Adesanya lost his belt again to Sean Strickland later that year, but has a chance to win it back against South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 on August 17 in Perth.
Adesanya will be 35 years old by the time that fight happens but whether or not he dethrones du Plessis (30), he will go down in history as one of the sport’s greatest ever, fulfilling ESPN’s prophecy of him as the “next big thing.”
The global sport media outfit described Nkwocha as prolific in front of goal.
“A prolific goalscoring midfielder who conquered Africa five times with a dominant Nigeria side, former Super Falcons captain Nkwocha has made a name for herself in Sweden both as a player for Sunnanå SK and later as a coach for Clemensnäs IF.
“Nkwocha combined dazzling dribbling skills with ruthless efficiency in front of goal to etch her name into the history books as one of the greatest African women’s footballers ever.“
Writing on Usman’s exploits in MMA, ESPN stated: “Born in Auchi in Edo State, Nigeria, Usman’s run as UFC welterweight champion coincided almost precisely with Adesanya’s as middleweight king.
Both held their belts from 2019-2022, with five successful title defense. In 2021, Usman was ESPN’s Male Fighter of the Year after wins over Gilbert Burns by TKO, Jorge Masvidal by KO (punch) and Colby Covington by unanimous decision.“
Concerning Umenyiora: “Born in London to Nigerian parents, New York Giants legend Umenyiora spent much of his childhood in Nigeria and continues his post-NFL in Lagos as a talent developer.
How much is Mike Tyson, Jake Paul getting paid for the fight?
Jake Paul, a former child star and social media influencer who began his professional boxing career in 2020, on Saturday secured a victory against former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in a boxing bout.
The fight was livestreamed worldwide on Netflix, and Paul won by unanimous decision.
While the outcome surprised some, the financial stakes were just as intense as the match itself, with both fighters set to earn huge sums for their efforts.
Mike Tyson, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers in history, is 58 years old and has an estimated net worth of $10 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
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While this figure is modest compared to the hundreds of millions Tyson earned during his career, including $400 million in fight purses according to Forbes, he’s also made a remarkable comeback after declaring bankruptcy in 2013 at age 37.
Although promoters did not disclose Tyson’s exact earnings from the fight, reports from sources like DraftKings Network estimate he will earn around $20 million.
This figure is comparable to the amount Tyson earned for his 1988 match against Michael Spinks, which had a record purse at the time (worth approximately $53 million today when adjusted for inflation). That fight ended in just 91 seconds, with Tyson knocking out the previously undefeated Spinks.
Jake Paul, 27, is expected to earn approximately $40 million, according to estimates from DraftKings Network and other sources. This is double the amount Tyson is projected to make. One reason for this disparity may be Paul’s status as a top social media influencer, with 27 million followers on Instagram alone. Additionally, Paul is the co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), the company promoting the fight in partnership with Netflix.
Paul’s net worth is estimated at $80 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
I don’t think so – Mike Tyson on boxing retirement after loss to Paul
After his defeat to Jake Paul, 58-year-old boxing legend Mike Tyson indicated that he has no immediate plans to retire
This is just as he had praises for Paul who he stood toe-to-toe with till the final round and ultimately lost to by a unanimous decision.
“I’m really happy. He was a good fighter and well prepared,” Mike Tyson said. “I didn’t prove anything to anyone. Just to myself.”
Asked on a knee brace that he wore for the fight, Tyson said: “I can’t use that as an excuse or wouldn’t have been in there.”
Asked if this was the end for Tyson in the ring, he concluded: “I don’t think so.”
Mike Tyson’s controversial return to boxing ended in a one-sided defeat on Friday, with Youtuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul cruising to victory by unanimous decision against the heavyweight icon in Texas.
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Tyson, 58, barely landed a punch during the eight-round bout at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with Paul winning by big margins on all three cards — 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73.
Paul, 27, used his superior speed and movement to dominate the ageing Tyson with ease, and had the former undisputed heavyweight champion in trouble after landing a flurry of punches in the third round.
Super Eagles seal AFCON 2025 spot, draw 1-1 against Benin
Victor Osimhen’s late header helped the Super Eagles of Nigeria secure a 1-1 draw against Benin Republic in Abidjan, clinching their qualification for the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Benin, playing their matches in Côte d’Ivoire, took an early lead in the 16th minute when Mohammed Tijani headed in a short corner.
The goal followed a period of sustained pressure from the Beninoise side on the Nigerian defence.
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Benin nearly doubled their advantage shortly afterwards, but goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali made a crucial save to keep Nigeria in the game.
Osimhen threatened as the first half progressed, with a powerful header that narrowly missed the target.
In the second half, Benin came close again, but a shot veered inches wide of the right post, sparing the Eagles further trouble.
With nine minutes remaining, Osimhen rose to the occasion, connecting with a precise cross from Moses Simon to level the score at 1-1.
With this result, the Super Eagles top Group D with 11 points from five matches, while Benin hold second place with seven points.
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