Anthony Joshua fight Nigeria is set for early 2026 as promoter Ezekiel Adamu plans historic heavyweight bout in Abuja Stadium

Anthony Joshua fight in Nigeria is on the horizon as promoter Ezekiel Adamu reveals ambitious plans to bring the British-Nigerian heavyweight superstar back to his roots for a historic first professional bout on African soil in early 2026.

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Dr Adamu, CEO of promotional outfit Balmoral, who also promotes Nigeria’s upcoming “Chaos in the Ring” event on October 1 in Lagos, shared with The Ring that discussions with Joshua’s camp have been highly promising.

“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 explained.

Joshua has long expressed a desire to fight in Nigeria before retiring, and the promoter is determined to make that dream a reality.

Adamu hopes to stage the bout at Abuja’s 50,000-capacity stadium, with plans to feature an all-African contest.

Potential opponents include French Olympic gold medallist Tony Yoka, Congo-born Martin Bakole, or even Deontay Wilder, who is of Nigerian descent and interested in an African showdown.

Dismissive of rumours suggesting the fight might take place in Ghana, Adamu insisted Nigeria is the natural and rightful home for the former two-time world heavyweight champion.

“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.”

Born in Watford, England, Joshua spent part of his youth in Nigeria and bears a tattoo of the country’s outline on his right shoulder in tribute to his heritage.

Adamu emphasised Nigeria’s readiness to become a heavyweight boxing hub, citing the nation’s population, infrastructure, and technical expertise.

“This is just the start,” he said. “October 1 is just a little sneak peek. We have big plans coming.”

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With several heavyweight stars of Nigerian descent identified for future events, the 2026 bout promises to be a landmark moment for African boxing and could pave the way for more major fights on the continent.