Anthony Joshua is closer than ever to fulfilling his long-time dream of fighting in Nigeria, with plans taking shape for the heavyweight champion’s first-ever bout on African soil in early 2026
Dr. Ezekiel Adamu, CEO of Balmoral Group, confirmed that discussions with Joshua’s camp have been positive and that a historic homecoming fight is being targeted for the first quarter of next year.
“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 told The Ring. “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 revealed that the bout will likely be staged at Abuja’s 50,000-capacity national stadium and will pit Joshua against another African fighter. Names being considered include Tony Yoka, Martin Bakole, and even Deontay Wilder, who has shown interest in fighting on the continent.
He dismissed rumours of a possible Ghana venue, insisting Nigeria is the rightful host for the fight. “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,” he 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, who was born in Watford but spent part of his childhood in Nigeria, carries a tattoo of the country’s outline on his shoulder as a proud nod to his roots.
Adamu believes Nigeria has all it takes to become a major centre for world boxing. “We’ve got the population, we’ve got the infrastructure, and we’ve got the technical know-how. This is just the start,” he said.
He described the upcoming “Chaos in the Ring” event in Lagos on October 1 as a preview of what’s to come, promising that much bigger events are on the horizon.
While Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has previously hinted at an African fight, Adamu’s announcement is the clearest sign yet that the plan is about to become reality — a milestone that could transform African boxing and attract more global showdowns to the continent.
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