Nigerian-born heavyweight boxer Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh has thrown down the gauntlet to former unified world champion Anthony Joshua, calling for a potential bout to be staged on Nigerian soil.
Ibeh, who has been on a strong comeback run with 11 straight victories since his 2021 loss to Jared Anderson, recently earned attention with a knockout win over former world title challenger Gerald Washington.
Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports, the Arizona-based fighter said facing Joshua would be a defining moment in his career.
“We need the right platform and the right opponent to make a statement, and there’d be no better one than AJ,” Ibeh said.
“That would definitely be a dream come true — it would be amazing.”
The 30-year-old boxer expressed confidence in his ability to defeat Joshua, adding that he would be open to fighting anywhere — whether in the UK or Nigeria.
“It doesn’t matter where it is — I’m ready. I would love to dance with him in the O2 Arena, or even better, in Nigeria,” he said.
“I would definitely stop him, no questions about that. It’s just a matter of how soon it happens.”
If the fight materializes, it would mark a historic moment for Nigerian boxing, potentially becoming the first major heavyweight bout between two Nigerian-born fighters on home soil.
