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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • JULY 17,2016
SUNDAYSPORTS
Edited by Demola Ojo Email demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com
Kante Completes Switch from Leicester to Chelsea
C
helsea have signed N’Golo Kante from Leicester City on a five-year deal reported to be worth around £30 million, both clubs have announced. Kante, 25, becomes Chelsea’s second signing of the summer following the arrival of Michy Batshuayi from Marseille and arrives at Stamford Bridge just 12 months after joining Leicester from Caen. Chelsea saw off reported competition from Juventus, Arsenal and Shanghai SIPG to make Kante second signing of the summer transfer window, after the acquisition of Belgium international striker Michy Batshuayi for a fee of £33m at the start of JulyKante established a reputation as one of the most coveted midfielders in Europe after playing a key role in Leicester’s stunning Premier League title triumph last season, and breaking into Didier Deschamps’ France squad for Euro 2016 in the process. “I am so happy to have signed for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. It’s a dream come true for me,” Kante told the official site.”The opportunity to work with Antonio Conte, a brilliant coach, and some of the best players in the world was simply too good to turn down. “My first season in English football was very
special and now I hope to go on to achieve even more during my time as a Chelsea player. I am looking forward to meeting up with my new teammates and helping the club achieve a lot of success.” Conte prioritised the signing of a high-energy midfielder this summer, and Chelsea stepped up their interest in Kante after their pursuit of Radja Nainggolan was ended by the Belgian’s reluctance to leave Roma. The France international is unlikely to be the Blues’ final signing of the summer, with Antonio Conte saying during the week that he is hoping to sign “one, two or three players.” The Italian said: “We are talking with the club and we know that this team needs to reinforce. I am sure that in the coming days we can reach our target to reinforce the team, to go closer to the other teams. “In the coming days we can buy one, two or three players, I don’t know. But players who can reinforce us for the season. It will be very tough.” Kante was a revelation during his maiden season in the Premier League as his energetic, combative performances in the middle of the park were key to Leicester’s surprise title success. He was named on the six-man shortlist for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award won by Foxes teammate Riyad Mahrez.
Former Leicester player Kante (right) has switched sides to joine Eden Hazard at Chelsea
NPFL: Enugu Rangers go Three Points Clear Enugu Rangers have gone three points clear at the top of the Nigeria Professional Foootball League (NPFL) standings after they recorded a 3-2 victory over Akwa United in Uyo, yesterday. Harrison Ibukun’s own goal in the third
minute put the Flying Antelopes in front as the defender failed to communicate effectively with goalkeeper, Kayode Olufemi. Akwa United had several chances to get back on level terms in the first half but profligacy and uncompromising
goalkeeping by Nana Bonsu kept the Promise Keepers at bay. The home side had a great chance to get back on level terms in the 26th minute when Fortune Omoniwari fired in a free kick from 25 odd yards.
Rangers goalkeeper, Nana Bonsu parried the effort towards the path of Cyril Olisema who somehow found a way to fire the rebound over the bar from three yards out. Akwa United eventually got due reward for consistent pressure on the stroke of half time after Fortune Omoniwari’s fearsome header off a Friday Ubong cross left Bonsu with no chance.
Mohammed Ali: A Sharp Mind in a Quick Body Prof. Herbert Orji
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t is my pleasure to be among practitioners of the Sweet Science, as Bert Sugar, the foremost American boxing historian named and wrote about boxing. Here, I will discuss the ultimate combination in boxing and other sports: A Sound Mind in a Quick Body. I started boxing in 1962 at age 10½ years, my first year in secondary school, then called college. My main attraction was Cassius Marcellus Clay, who eventually achieved global boxing and socio-political fame as Mohammed Ali, ruling the heavy weight Boxing world for two decades. He was one of the first Boxing Champions in the 60s & 70s to obtain a high school diploma (WAEC equivalent) before turning professional. He is a good example of a Sound Mind in a Quick Body. I participated in championship 440 yards; 120 yards high hurdles, Discus and High Jump while Ali taking particular interest in boxing and soccer (goal-keeping) at Ngwa High School, Aba. The both of our faces, lips and ear lobes. There were Principal and Games Master will cut your events no mouth-guards and head gears in those days but and training time, if your academic performance we fought smartly with a lot of youthful exuberdeclined significantly for two consecutive terms. ance. I retained the championship, crossing over The lesson is simple. That is, the primary objective from lightweight to welterweight in 1966 (in class of sports is to produce men and women with five) and 1967 (in lower sixth) at Government Colleges Owerri. sharp minds and quick bodies. With determination, three of our top boxers In 1965 in Enugu, capital of former Eastern Nigeria, I reached the finals of the Steve Jaffra passed the Cambridge School Certificate in grade Cup Boxing Competition in the Welter weight one, including yours truly, while the other five top class, having defeated eight boxers who repre- boxers passed in grade two. There were no grade sented schools including Government Colleges threes, no referrals and no failures. One of us, Col Umuahia, Owerri, Afigbo; Holy Ghost College, Emeka Okai, became a military governor after Owerri, Stella Maris College P.H, Hope Weddle serving the Nigerian Army as a field engineering Institute Calabar, DMGS Onitsha, Holy Family commander for many years. He was a first class CollegeAbak, CIC Enugu and C.K.C Onitsha over graduate engineer and a champion boxer, a good four months of Competition organised by Jerry example of a sound mind in a quick body. Every sport, be it softball, baseball, track & Enyeazu, Director of Sports in Eastern Nigeria. My opponent was in upper 6th and I was in field, throws and puts, soccer, rugby, swimming, class four; two years his junior in class and four marathon and decathlon all require a sharp mind years junior in age, He looked stronger with better in a quick body to excel. You must therefore, be prepared to train your formed muscles and had more experience. To cut a long story short, I won each of the mind and body. In boxing, the critical areas of three rounds/no knock downs, no head butts general training are similar to those of other sports. and no bleeding of any type but swellings on These include training for endurance, stamina,
Orji
strength, speed and the psychological ability to conquer and eliminate irrational fear of defeat or injury. As a full contact sport, there are some additional specific expert tips for training. These include proper stance, proper breathing, skipping of rope, staying fit with regular exercise and eating right with little or no alcohol and avoiding excessive sexual activity. Mohammed Ali blamed his 1959 loss in the Golden Gloves Amateur Championship Boxing Finals in Chicago to such an act two days before his bout. He never made that mistake ever again! Trent Singleton, a top heavyweight boxer is a University graduate. Many boxing champions passed their high school diploma either in regular schools or in the armed forces, like Ken Norton in the U.S Marines, and George Forman in the U.S Job Corps. Nearer home, Hogan Kid Bassey, first Nigerian World Champion in the Featherweight class and Dick Tiger, the second Nigerian World Champion in the middleweight class all completed their WABC equivalency certificates in New York City. I met Dick Tiger in action during the civil war and he was a Major in the Training Command.
He spoke, led and gave his training command as if he was a University graduate. Hogan Bassey became the national boxing coach and produced very remarkable results nationwide. These are good examples of sound minds in quick bodies. I watched a CNN interview of the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye. I always knew that he was an accomplished mathematician (a sharp mind) and a good boxer (a quick body). He typifies one of the best and brightest in that category. If we dig deeper, more names like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, U.S President Theodore Roosevelt and Max Schemelling, the multi-millionaire German industrialist who in his youngest days fought two very historical bouts with the Brown Bomber, Joe Louis, the longest reigning heavy weight boxing champion ever. Schemelling went on to become the Coca-Cola franchisee in Germany, built an industrial empire and become Joe Louis’ closest friend until Joe Louis died in his early seventies and Max died in his early eighties. These were strong and brilliant people; high achievers of no mean streak. Sugar Ray Robinson and Sugar Ray Leonard fit into this category also, The Sweet Science, boxing, is perhaps the only well-regulated full contact sport that makes a young boy grow up quickly and become his own defensive expert. This is why it is popular in institutions like the Armed Forces, Police, YMCA, Boys Clubs, some Girls Clubs and many community centres. In each case, the sharp mind in a quick body always prevails. To be a recipient of the pre-eminent programme tenable only in Oxford University, Rhodes Scholar/ Rhodes Scholarship you must be a very mind in a very quick body. Thank you for your attention.
– Prof. Orji OFR, Chairman, National Broadcasting Commission, former Welter Weight Champion, All Eastern Nigeria Colleges (1965), Global Investment Banker, and Award-winning author wrote this paper from Cula, Los Angeles California and presented it at the Boxing-Sports Conference in the RCCG Sports Centre, Lagos, recently