Kingsley Ibeh believes he is the perfect opponent for Anthony Joshua’s hoped-for fight in Nigeria.
Speculation has mounted that Joshua could look to stage a comeback fight in Africa, with Ghana and Nigeria potential locations.
Joshua has Nigerian heritage and heavyweight contender Kingsley Ibeh was born in the country.
Now based in Arizona, Ibeh has a 16-2-1 record, with 14 stoppage victories. Since losing to top prospect Jared Anderson in 2021, Ibeh has been on a run of 11 consecutive wins.
Most recently he knocked out former world title challenger Gerald Washington in three rounds.
Joshua could compete beyond 2026 but must win his comeback fight
“We need the right platform and the right opponent to make a statement with and there’d be no better one than AJ,” Ibeh told Sky Sports.
He believes he is the ideal candidate to fight Joshua in Nigeria. “That would be definitely a dream come true,” Ibeh said. “That would be amazing.”
But he added: “It doesn’t matter where it is, I’m ready.
“Anywhere. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the UK. I would love to dance with him in the O2 Arena.
“I would definitely stop him, no questions about that, it’s going to come down to how soon or how quickly it goes.”
Joshua has been out of action since losing to Daniel Dubois last year
A cousin of heavyweight Ike Ibeabuchi, Ibeh originally played American football in his athletic career.
His introduction to boxing came by chance when he was trying to sell life insurance to a coach at a gym.
“[The trainer said:] ‘If you want to talk to me and earn my time, you’ve got to get in the ring and spar with one of my guys.’ I never back down from a fight,” Ibeh reflected.
“I took my shirt off, put headgear on and I went to work… I end up knocking him out.”
He didn’t end up selling the policy (the coach had had a liver transplant and didn’t qualify for it, in the end), but he did get a boxing trainer out of it and took it from there.
“It was a good way to get the aggression and anger out. Ever since then I started boxing,” Ibeh said. “I played football here in the US, I played with the Cardinals.
“I’ve always lived in the gym, I’ve always worked out, boxing just became another passion for me.”
He is now looking for a breakthrough victory. “I’m just excited to see what the future holds,” Ibeh said. “I really haven’t even shown what we’ve been working on.”
Joshua was knocked out by Dubois at Wembley Stadium (Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing).
His message to Britain’s heavyweights: “I’m willing to come to their home, their backyard and entertain.
“I like AJ, he’s been my idol,” he said. “[But] I have mean intentions. For the sport, I would love to give him the work and challenge that he’s looking for.”
There’s a “small chance” Joshua could box before the end of this year and he will fight early in 2026, potentially in February, his promoter Eddie Hearn previously told Sky Sports.
“If he fights this year, that will be a pure run-out. It won’t be a top 15 guy,” the promoter continued. “He’s either going to have those two fights before Tyson Fury – if that can get made – or he’s going to have the one fight in February.
“We haven’t really decided yet but he’s keen to get active.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: skynews.com
