Entertainment
How Joshua Turned £15,000 First Pay To £500 Million Career Earnings

In the world of boxing, tales of rags-to-riches journeys often captivate audiences, but few stories rival the meteoric rise of Anthony Joshua. From his humble beginnings in the ring, marked by a meager £15,000 payday for his inaugural professional bout, to his staggering career earnings totaling £500,140,000, Joshua’s journey is a testament to unwavering resilience, unyielding dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, PETER AKINBO writes.
Before the glitz and glamor of the professional circuit, Joshua honed his craft in amateur boxing, amassing accolades and acclaim that foreshadowed his future dominance.
With an impeccable amateur record and a 2012 Olympic gold medal adorning his chest, Joshua transitioned seamlessly into the professional ranks, signaling the dawn of a new era in heavyweight boxing.
Emanuele Leo was his first opponent in the pros and he was quickly secured his first pro paycheck by knocking Leo out in the first round at the 02 Arena pocketing £15,000 for the bout.
Joshua went on to earn £50,000 in his next two fights which he won by knockouts against Paul Butlin and Hrvoje Kisicek. He followed that up with a £75,000 pay-day against Dorian Darch who also fell victim to Joshua’s knockout power.
His first million-pound purse would wait till his 8th professional bout against Konstantin Airich who he also dispatched by TKO and bagged a £1m purse. Joshua steadily climbed the ranks, each triumph contributing to his burgeoning reputation and financial standing.
Joshua’s ambition had always set him apart from his peers. In a candid interview dating back to April 2017, Joshua spoke of his aspirations to not only conquer the boxing world but to transcend it, aiming to become the sport’s first billionaire.
“When I first started, the aim was to become a multi-millionaire,” Joshua said.
“But now there are ordinary people, grandmas and granddads, who are worth millions just because of property prices. So the new school of thought is that I need to be a billionaire.”
Joshua went on to earn £1m from four other fights and £2m from wins over Kevin Johnson and Gary Cornish before a £3m purse for his win over Dillian Whyte and a total of £14.5m from his next three bouts.
However, it was his resounding victory over Wladimir Klitschko in the same month that catapulted Joshua into boxing stardom. Not only did the win secure his status as a heavyweight champion, but it also significantly boosted his earnings, with a staggering £15m purse attached to the fight.
His rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr., which saw him reclaim his titles from the American who handed him his first loss, brought in a monumental £66m payday, a testament to his enduring appeal and drawing power.
Joshua’s highest purse from a bout was made in his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk which he lost by split decision. In the first bout, Joshua earned £20m and in the rematch in Saudi Arabia, the two-time heavyweight champion bagged a whopping sum of £70m.
Undeterred by setbacks, such as his defeats to Usyk, Joshua showcased his resilience by bouncing back with triumphant victories in his next four fights which saw him earn a total of £86 with the biggest pay coming from his most recent fight against Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia where he pocketed £40m.
Each victory not only added to his legacy in the ring but also swelled his bank balance, underscoring his status as one of boxing’s most bankable stars.
Looking ahead, Joshua’s sights are set firmly on the horizon, his appetite for success as voracious as ever. With a record of 28-3-0 (25 KOs), the 34-year-old now has his sights set on becoming a three-time heavyweight champion.
Entertainment
Why I can’t date or marry Saga -Liquorose

By Francesca Hangeior
Nollywood actress and BBNaija star, Liquorose recently shared insights into her relationship with Saga, calling him her “gossip partner” and close friend.
The influencer explained that she can’t date him because their bond has gone beyond romance, with Saga being a trusted confidant and partner in various activities.
She said: “People ask me why I don’t date Saga, and I’m like, have you seen us? That’s my gossip partner! Once I leave here, I’m texting Saga and we’re going to laugh about this. I can’t date Saga. I can’t marry Saga. Not because he’s not attractive, but because we’ve gone beyond that. Saga is a very special person to me—he’s a friend, a brother, my partner in cr!me, 100%.”
Entertainment
2025 Face Of Tourism Beauty Pageant Organizers Calls For More Funding In Tourism Sector

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of “Free Image Humanitarian Foundation, (FIHF), Janet Ochanya has called for more funding for the tourism sector in the country.
NaijaBlitzNews who covered the event yesterday at the Armed Forces Officers Mess Luingi Barracks Abuja, reports that the Founder/CEO of the foundation Janet Ochanya made this comment after Miss FCT, Queen Sarah Okoh was crowned the winner of the pageant after a hard fought victory defeating other ten contestants.
She said the event is aimed at drawing the attention of the president Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the importance of tourism and the need to pay more attention to the tourism industry by budgeting more funds to the sector in line with the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
While applauding the success of the pageant, Ochanya further stated that, the pageant amongst others is also aimed at creating more awareness on the economic potentials of the tourism industry in terms job creation for the teeming idle Nigerian youths and as a catalyst for economic growth and development of the country.
She also commended the current Nigeria minister of tourism Lola Ade-John for the wonderful work she is doing in repositioning the tourism sector since assuming office stating that more investment in the industry by the president, has the potential of transforming the economy of the country.
Ochanya who was also a winner of a beauty pageant her self said her interest in organizing the pageants is to give positive direction and exposure to the up and coming youths particularly girls by reassuring them that they can be successful in a positive way rather than venturing into prostitution, drugs and other societal ills.
She said her organisation, Free Image Humanitarian Foundation has been involved in organizing beauty pageant for over 15 years with the Miss Idoma pageant which has produced many crowned queens who are now impacting positively on the society.
The winner of the 2025 event which happens to be the 2nd Edition of the Face of Tourism Beauty Pageant Miss FCT, Queen Sarah Okoh defeated 10 other contestants to clinch the coveted crown at a colourful event which was widely attended by business and entertainment moguls as well as some major influential dignitaries in the tourism sector across the country.
The visibly elated and happy winner who faced stiff challenges from other contestants from Kaduna, Imo, Akwa Ibom and Enugu respectively thanked the organizers of the event and for giving her the platform to showcase her talent.
Miss Okoh said she will use her reign to propagate the importance and benefits of Tourism in Nigeria and it’s potentials and benefits in engaging and addressing youths festiveness and its contribution to the GDP of the country.
She also assured that her reign will witness economic growth in the country and will put Nigeria in the world map as the number one tourist destination in Africa and world in general.
NaijaBlitzNews crew also spoke with the Catwalk Instructor, Ms Oluwakemi Abosede Osindele who acknowledged the hard work put in by the contestants before the main event.
Oluwakemi said she was not surprised by the outcome of the pageant as the various winners deserved their victories.
She also showered praises on the judges for the honestly and unbiased in painstakingly picking out the winners which is not an easy task but at the end of the day, the audience accepted the outcome with laud applause.
At the end of the day and after a hard fought contest, Miss FCT, Sarah Okoh emerged the overall winner and crowned, the face of Tourism in Nigeria and closely followed by Miss Kaduna, Queen Theresa Jonathan, who was crowned, Miss Tradition 2025 and Miss Enugu, Queen Laura Chioma Eze, who was crowned, Face of Tourism Ambassador 2025 and finally Miss Akwa Ibom, Queen Anita Emmanuel, who was crowned, the Face of Tourism North 2025.
The organizer are already looking ahead to the next pageant which they promised will be more exciting than the just concluded pageant.
END.
Entertainment
Zinoleesky Welcomes Second Baby, Shares Beautiful Photos

Nigerian singer Zinoleesky has joyfully announced the birth of his second child, sending waves of excitement through the entertainment community and among fans across social media.
The talented artist, known for his unique sound and affiliation with Marlian Music, took to Instagram to share the news, posting touching photos of himself tenderly holding his newborn. Clad in traditional attire, Zinoleesky appeared proud and radiant as he embraced fatherhood once again.
In the caption, he wrote: “Owo baba Zafar” — a phrase that loosely translates to “the father of Zafar,” hinting that the newborn may be a baby boy named Zafar.
This marks Zinoleesky’s second child, following the birth of his first daughter in 2024 — a moment that was publicly announced by his label boss, Naira Marley.
While the announcement came as a pleasant surprise to many, fans and fellow celebrities quickly flooded the comment section with congratulatory messages, celebrating the singer’s growing family.
Zinoleesky continues to make strides in both his music career and personal life, earning admiration not just for his artistry but also for embracing his role as a father.
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