Joshua eyes África before Fury: Ghana or Nigeria?

Anthony Joshua Considers Fights in Africa Before Facing Tyson Fury

The renowned boxer Anthony Joshua is evaluating offers to fight in Ghana and Nigeria, as part of his preparation for an expected match against Tyson Fury in 2026, as revealed by Eddie Hearn, promoter of Matchroom. Joshua, who will turn 36 next week, hasn’t stepped into the ring since his technical knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024. After recovering from an elbow injury, Hearn indicated that the boxer could return to action at the end of this year or in early 2026. Among the possible rivals for Joshua are Martin Bakole and Deontay Wilder, both prominent in the heavyweight division. Bakole, 33, could be the opponent in Nigeria, while Wilder, 40, seeks to recover and get more wins in his career.

Initially I thought he wouldn’t fight this year, but now it’s possible.

Eddie Hearn

Hearn also mentioned approaches from Africa, a desire that Joshua has expressed before retiring from boxing. The main priority for both Joshua and Hearn is to finalize the long-awaited fight against Tyson Fury, with whom they have been in talks for the last five years without reaching an agreement.

Image description: Daniel Dubois, above, set a precedent in the division with a resounding victory over Anthony Joshua in September. Hearn has been in conversations with Turki Alalshikh, an influential figure in global boxing, about the possibility of a match between Joshua and Fury. Joshua seeks to regain rhythm and activity in the ring before facing Fury in 2026. Hearn revealed that Alalshikh has a plan for Joshua, which includes the fight against Fury. According to Hearn, Alalshikh could be the key to finalizing the fight with Fury, due to his ability to secure significant financial agreements for both parties.