Negotiations to bring Chris Eubank Jr. to Nigeria for a December bout are reportedly moving forward at a steady pace, according to Ezekiel Adamu, the founder of Balmoral Promotions. The British middle‑weight star made a trip to the West African nation in June as part of a broader assessment of his career options following a loss to fellow contender Conor Benn at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last November.
During that visit, Adamu used the opportunity to gauge local interest, meet potential partners, and lay the groundwork for what could become a landmark event for African boxing. Adamu has long expressed a desire to see heavyweight icons such as Anthony Joshua and Moses Itauma step onto Nigerian soil, but he acknowledges that the most realistic short‑term objective is to secure a fight for Eubank Jr. The promoter explained that while the heavyweight dream remains on the horizon, the immediate focus is on a heavyweight‑class middleweight who already enjoys a sizable fan base in the region.
"Chris is as big as it comes," Adamu told the Press Association, emphasizing the emotional impact of having a former world champion walk through the bustling streets of Mushin, a densely populated district of Lagos, where he was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd. Although Eubank Jr. will not appear on the card in Lagos on Friday – a night that will feature home‑grown fighter Taiwo Agbaje against South Africa’s Ayabonga Sonjika, as well as a bout between WBO Africa cruiserweight champion Godday Appah and Lekan Muibi – the promoter remains confident that the 36‑year‑old can be locked in for a December showdown. "We’re looking at him coming here for a fight in December.
We’re still in negotiations, but that’s coming along nicely," Adamu said, adding that the discussions have already involved key stakeholders such as government officials and potential sponsors who would underwrite the event. The promotional strategy, according to Adamu, involves a multi‑step approach: first, bring the fighter to Nigeria to generate buzz and allow him to meet the local boxing community; second, secure the necessary governmental approvals; and third, lock in commercial partners willing to finance the logistics of a high‑profile bout.
"We had to bring him over here to see what we’re doing, to meet the right people, to get the government support and get to meet the sponsors that are going to pay for the event, but exciting times ahead," he explained. Eubank’s contractual status has been a point of speculation. The boxer has previously described himself as a "free agent," yet promoter Ben Shalom has suggested that Eubank remains under a long‑term agreement with Boxxer.
Sky Sports News has reached out to Boxxer for comment, but no definitive response has been made public. This ambiguity adds a layer of complexity to the negotiations, as any existing contractual obligations could influence the timing and terms of a potential fight in Nigeria.
Balmoral Promotions has already demonstrated its capacity to stage significant events in the country. In December, former British champion Lawrence Okolie fought on an Okolie‑headlined card organized by the promotion, and Adamu has previously engaged in talks with Eddie Hearn, the Matchroom Boxing boss behind Anthony Joshua’s career. Those discussions were temporarily sidetracked when Joshua was involved in a serious car accident in Nigeria at the close of 2025, but the incident underscored the promoter’s ambition to involve top‑tier talent on the African continent. Looking further ahead, Adamu is compiling a “hefty shortlist” of marquee names that could appear in Nigeria over the next few years.
He mentioned that Deontay Wilder, who has recently discovered ancestral ties to Nigeria, has expressed interest in fighting on the continent. Additionally, there are conversations underway with Michael Ofo, a rising star who could eventually pave the way for a bout featuring Fabio Wardley, as well as talks about Daniel Dubois, another heavyweight prospect.
"The options are endless for us here in Africa and at some point we’ll see them," Adamu said. He highlighted past successes, noting that both Lawrence Okolie and French heavyweight Tony Yoka have already 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 should have Chris Eubank Jr fight here at some point this year, so exciting times for African boxing," he concluded.
If the negotiations bear fruit, a December clash featuring Eubank Jr. could serve as a catalyst for a new era of high‑profile boxing in Nigeria, drawing international attention, stimulating local interest, and potentially opening doors for other elite fighters to consider the country as a viable venue. The combination of a passionate fan base, emerging promotional infrastructure, and the strategic vision of figures like Ezekiel Adamu suggests that African boxing may be on the cusp of a significant transformation, with Eubank’s prospective appearance acting as a pivotal milestone in that journey.