Anthony Joshua To Make Historic Boxing Return To Nigeria In Early 2026, Says Promoter
Anthony Joshua is set to fulfil his long-held dream of fighting in Nigeria after promoter Ezekiel Adamu has revealed plans to stage the heavyweight superstar’s first bout in Africa in early 2026.
Dr Adamu, CEO of promotional group Balmoral, hopes to bring the British-Nigerian home for what would be a historic homecoming fight in the first quarter of next year.
The ambitious promoter, who is behind Nigeria’s “Chaos in the Ring” event on October 1 in Lagos, told The Ring that discussions with Joshua’s camp have been overwhelmingly positive.
“I spoke with him, I spoke with his team, and they already said to me, ‘If we had an offer from Nigeria, it’s a match made in heaven,’” Adamu said.
“Joshua has always said that before he ends his career, he wants to fight in Nigeria, and we are going to make that fight happen.”
Adamu confirmed he hopes to stage the bout at the 50,000-capacity Abuja Stadium, with plans for an all-African contest.
“For that, it would definitely be two Africans. So we are thinking Joshua against maybe Tony Yoka, there is Martin Bakole and Deontay Wilder, also of Nigerian descent, wants to do an African fight, too. There are different names,” he said.
The promoter dismissed suggestions that Joshua could fight in Ghana instead, insisting Nigeria is the natural choice for the former two-time world heavyweight champion.
“I heard rumours about Joshua fighting in Ghana, and I laughed it off because, for me, where is the story in there? Joshua is Nigerian,” Adamu said.
“Now we have a big promotion and Nigeria is the biggest market. It’s a no-brainer for Joshua to fight in Nigeria.”
Joshua was born in Watford but spent time at school in Nigeria and carries a tattoo of the country’s outline on his right shoulder in homage to his roots.
Adamu believes Nigeria has the infrastructure and potential to become a heavyweight boxing hub, pointing to the country’s advantages.
“We’ve got the population, we’ve got the infrastructure, and we’ve got the technical know-how,” he said. “This is just the start.”
“We see October 1 as just a little sneak peek. This is really just a showcase of what Nigeria is about and what we can make happen. We have big plans coming,” Adamu told The Ring.
Adamu has identified multiple heavyweight stars with Nigerian connections who could feature in future events.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has previously suggested the possibility of the heavyweight returning to Africa to fight professionally, though the concept had remained largely theoretical until now.
The proposed 2026 bout would represent a significant moment for African boxing and could open the door for more high-profile fights on the continent.
