Negotiations to bring Chris Eubank Jr. to Nigeria for a December bout are reportedly moving forward at a good pace, according to Ezekiel Adamu, the founder of Balmoral Promotions. The British middle‑weight star travelled to the West African nation in June as part of a broader assessment of his career options after suffering a loss to Conor Benn at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last November. Adamu has long expressed an ambition to host some of the sport’s biggest names on Nigerian soil, including fellow Britons Anthony Joshua and Moses Itauma.
While those longer‑term goals remain on the horizon, the most realistic and immediately attainable objective is to secure Eubank Jr. for a high‑profile event.
In early May, Adamu hosted the son of former world champion Chris Eubank Sr. in Nigeria, and the younger Eubank was greeted by enthusiastic crowds as he walked through the bustling streets of Mushin. The warm reception underscored the public’s appetite for world‑class boxing in the country and gave Adamu a tangible sense of the market’s potential. Although Eubank will not appear on the card in Lagos on Friday, when local favorite Taiwo Agbaje faces South Africa’s Ayabonga Sonjika and WBO Africa cruiserweight champion Godday Appah meets Lekan Muibi, Adamu’s focus remains fixed on the 36‑year‑old British fighter.
"Chris is a massive draw," Adamu told the Press Association. "We’ve had big superstars before, but getting Chris here is something special for me. It’s almost emotional." Adamu added that the December fight is still in the negotiation stage but that progress is “coming along nicely.” He explained that a series of logistical steps are already underway: meetings with government officials to secure the necessary permits, discussions with potential sponsors who would underwrite the event, and coordination with local venues to ensure a world‑class production. "We had to bring him over to see what we’re doing, meet the right people, get government support and line up sponsors who will fund the show.
Exciting times lie ahead," he said. The situation is further complicated by Eubank’s contractual status. The fighter has previously described himself as a "free agent," yet promoter Ben Shalom has suggested that Eubank is tied to a long‑term deal with Boxxer.
Sky Sports News has reached out to Boxxer for clarification, but no definitive response has been made public. Adamu’s promotional experience in Nigeria is not limited to Eubank. In December, former Commonwealth heavyweight champion Lawrence Okolie fought on a Balmoral Promotions card, and Adamu has reportedly been in talks with Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing about future collaborations. Those discussions took on added urgency after Okolie was involved in a serious car accident in Nigeria at the end of 2025, highlighting both the risks and the growing interest in staging major bouts on African soil.
Looking ahead, Adamu is compiling an ambitious shortlist of other elite fighters he hopes to bring to the continent. He mentioned that talks are ongoing with former world champion Deontay Wilder, who has recently discovered ancestral ties to Nigeria and expressed a desire to fight there. "We’re speaking with Michael Ofo to see if, in the future, we can have Fabio Wardley, and then there’s Daniel Dubois as well," Adamu said, indicating a broad strategy to attract a variety of weight classes and styles. The promoter emphasized that the possibilities for African boxing are “endless.” He cited previous successes, such as Lawrence Okolie and French heavyweight Tony Yoka having competed in Nigeria, and expressed optimism that Chris Eubank Jr.
will soon join that list. "We’ve had Lawrence Okolie fight here, Tony Yoka fight here, and hopefully we’ll see Chris Eubank Jr. fight here this year. It’s an exciting time for African boxing," he concluded.
If the negotiations succeed, the December event could become a landmark moment for the sport in Nigeria, providing a platform for local talent, stimulating economic activity through tourism and broadcasting rights, and cementing the country’s reputation as a viable destination for top‑tier boxing. The partnership between Balmoral Promotions and Nigerian authorities aims to create a sustainable model that could see more frequent high‑profile bouts, further integrating Africa into the global boxing calendar. In summary, while contractual ambiguities and logistical challenges remain, the momentum behind Chris Eubank Jr.’s prospective Nigerian fight appears strong.
With government backing, sponsor interest, and a growing fan base eager for world‑class action, the December showdown could mark a pivotal chapter in the evolution of boxing across the continent.