Anthony Joshua: Talks held over boxing match in Africa, says Eddie Hearn

Anthony Joshua could revisit the Rumble in the Jungle as part of an “iconic” bout around the 50th anniversary of the legendary fight, says Eddie Hearn.

Promoter Hearn says talks have taken place over the heavyweight contender fighting in Africa, and that government backing for an event is available.

Joshua, 34, has Nigerian ancestry but has never fought on the continent.

“It’s something that would be iconic for the sport,” Hearn told BBC World Service’s Newsday of the proposals.

“When we’re visiting these countries, there’s government funding to stage these events.

“Sometimes that isn’t forthcoming in all areas but there have been discussions and I think it will happen in time.”

Muhammad Ali and George Foreman contested the heavyweight world championship in Zaire – now the Democratic Republic of Congo – in October 1974 in one of the greatest fights of all time.

Both men were champions during the long careers that made them legends, with Ali knocking out Foreman in the eighth round to win the WBA, WBC and Ring titles.

Joshua held the WBA belt for a combined total of almost four years and has been IBF, WBO and IBO champion, although he is currently aiming to win back the titles he failed to regain from Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia in August 2022.

The 2012 Olympic gold medallist, who grew up in London after his parents emigrated from Nigeria before he was born, remains one of the biggest ticket-sellers in the sport and has called himself “proudly Nigerian and proudly British”, sporting a tattoo of Africa with Nigeria outlined on his right shoulder.

“With that anniversary approaching, we’ve often talked about a big Anthony Joshua fight – even revisiting the famous scenes in Zaire of the Rumble in the Jungle,” said Hearn.

“We’ve had a couple of approaches. Obviously, Anthony Joshua – with his Nigerian descent – is always keen to visit and stage a major event there.

“Visually, it would be incredible and something Anthony would love to tick off the box before the end of his career.”

Despite its lasting resonance, the Rumble in the Jungle remains the last time a fight of such scale took place in Africa.

Ngannou fight on horizon?

Earlier in November, Hearn told BBC Sport he was exploring a potential fight between Joshua and former UFC champion Francis Ngannou as part of a plan for the next “six to 12 months” of Joshua’s career.

Like Joshua, Ngannou is a huge name in Africa – particularly in Cameroon, where he was born and took his first steps in combat sport before moving to Europe to fulfil his MMA dream.

Ngannou almost stunned WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on his professional boxing debut in October, losing on a controversial split decision in Saudi Arabia in a performance that has seen him ranked in the top 10 by the WBC and strengthened his chances of fights against established names such as Joshua.

Speaking after that bout, Hearn suggested he was still exploring whether a fight in Africa was financially viable and said he had exchanged messages with Ngannou’s camp.

“All of a sudden, that fight between two giants becomes a massive fight,” said Hearn, describing Joshua and Ngannou as “carved out of stone”. “We’re definitely willing to consider it.”

After leaving the UFC at the start of 2023, Ngannou joined the Professional Fighters League, an MMA promotion with ambitions to expand to Africa.

Ngannou is a minority equity owner and chairman of the newly created PFL Africa, which PFL chief executive Peter Murray told BBC Sport will launch in 2025.

The fighter known as ‘The Predator’ does not have a scheduled bout but has set his immediate sights on continuing in boxing and is also a fighter for the PFL.

Joshua’s next contest will be a non-title bout against Otto Wallin on 23 December in Saudi Arabia as a headliner alongside Deontay Wilder, the former WBC champion and a figure he has long been linked to a much-anticipated fight with.

Wilder said last year that he “would love” to face Joshua in Africa.

Next month’s event, which has been titled ‘Day of Reckoning’ and is part of the annual Riyadh Season, will mark the third time Joshua has fought in Saudi Arabia since 2019.