Eddie Hearn has announced that Matchroom Boxing will be heading to Accra, Ghana, on December 20.
While no fights have been confirmed for the card just yet, rumours are rife that British light heavyweights Craig Richards and Dan Azeez will top the bill.
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Joshua has been out of action since his defeat to Dubois in September 2024Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom
The Christmas cracker marks Matchroom’s debut show in West Africa, and, according to Hearn, the event will act as a ‘precursor’ for a potential Anthony Joshua fight in the Ghanaian capital in February.
“We’re doing a show in Ghana on December 20th,” Hearn told Ring Magazine.
“Obviously, this will not be an AJ show, but it’s still going to be a good show.
“The idea is that this is probably a precursor for an AJ show out there, but it’s not part of our initial deal.
“We can just get the lay of the land with this one.
“Frank [Smith] went out there for a site visit and was impressed by what he saw. This deal is with the same people.”
How likely is an Anthony Joshua fight in Ghana?
Joshua hasn’t set foot in the ring since September 2024, when he suffered a crushing fifth-round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.
Surgery on an elbow injury has kept him out of action for the last 13 months, but the Watford powerhouse is now discussing his next steps with his team.
AJ’s handlers have been fielding offers from Nigeria and Ghana to host his next fight.
And it appears that the latter is now leading the charge.
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There are, however, concerns about the safety of the sport in Ghana.
Boxing is temporarily suspended in the country after the tragic deaths of two pugilists in the space of six months.
In March, Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju, 40, collapsed mid-way through his fight with Jon Mbanugu at Accra’s Bukom Boxing Arena and later died in hospital.
Then, in September, 27-year-old local boxer Ernest Akushey passed away after a knockout loss to Jacob Dickson in the same venue.
In an even more concerning development, GhanaWeb reported that former president of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), Abraham Kotei Neequaye, had previously determined that Akushey was ‘unfit’ to compete.
The GBA are currently deliberating over a new set of reforms to make the national sport safer.
These safety measures are expected to be agreed upon before December 20, while the ban is also set to be lifted in time for Matchroom’s show.