The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has announced plans to construct a state-of-the-art Anthony Joshua Indoor Boxing Ring in Abeokuta as part of his administration’s commitment to sports development.
The announcement was made on Monday when the governor hosted two-time former world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, at his office.
During the event, Governor Abiodun officially confirmed Joshua as Ogun State’s Sports Ambassador and revealed plans for the boxing champion to light the Gateway Games National Sports Festival torch, which has been rescheduled to May 2025.
“We are going to construct a brand-new Anthony Joshua Indoor Boxing Ring, and that boxing ring will be in a stadium here in Abeokuta to ensure that you come home more frequently,” the governor said. “Besides the fact that you are now our official sports ambassador, we have decided that we will give you a brand new house in Sagamu.”
Governor Abiodun praised Anthony Joshua’s achievements on the global stage, emphasizing his pride in the state’s talents across music, arts, and sports. He expressed optimism that Joshua’s involvement would inspire the youth and bring positive attention to Ogun State.
“I want to openly request that you come back to light up the Gateway Sports Festival torch. You will be the one lighting it up,” the governor added.
The governor also sought Joshua’s support in mentoring young athletes and participating in tournaments that would be organized in the lead-up to the sports festival.
“We want to plead that you also find ways to support us back home. We believe that we should have tournaments planned leading to the sports festival, and you were expressing how you will participate and what you can do to mentor. We leave you to work with our Director-General of the National Sports Commission and the Commissioner for Sports Development to ensure that we have activities leading to the sports festival in your boxing arena,” Abiodun said.
The National Sports Festival, which Ogun State won the bid to host, was initially slated for January 2025 but has been postponed to May 2025 due to technical reasons.
In his remarks, Anthony Joshua expressed gratitude for the warm reception and pledged to promote Ogun State on the global stage.
“I will work towards showcasing Ogun State to the rest of the world by highlighting the talents here,” Joshua said.
