Amir Khan to Host New Boxing Event in Lagos

Promoter Amir Khan is set to stage another boxing event in Africa as he continues to position himself within the evolving global boxing promotion landscape, where leading promoters are competing for influence in the sport.

The upcoming event in Lagos, Nigeria, will combine professional fights with influencer boxing and regional rivalries, a strategy aimed at attracting Africa’s vast youth audience and leveraging the continent’s vibrant social media culture.

The headline bout will feature a crossover clash between Nigerian internet personalities Carter Efe and Portable. The pair, who collectively command about 10 million followers online, will settle a long-standing social media feud inside the ring. Organisers describe the match as one of the first major influencer boxing contests to be staged in Africa.

The event comes at a time when boxing’s promotional structure is experiencing notable changes. Promoter Frank Warren has been involved in a legal dispute linked to Saudi interests, while Eddie Hearn is also navigating the growing influence of Dana White’s new boxing venture under TKO, Zuffa Boxing. Amid these developments, Khan has increasingly focused on emerging markets instead of competing directly for the biggest heavyweight events often staged in Saudi Arabia or Las Vegas.

Khan’s boxing shows in Africa have typically featured a mix of international fighters, local prospects, and online personalities, with the aim of building a strong audience base in regions where professional boxing infrastructure has traditionally been limited.

On the sporting side, the Lagos fight card will feature several all-African matchups. Nigerian cruiserweight Ezra Arenyeka (15-2, 12 KOs), known as the “Nigerian King,” will face compatriot Godday Appah (14-2, 13 KOs). Both fighters, who come from rival neighbourhoods in southern Nigeria, boast knockout ratios above 80 percent, adding extra intensity to the bout.

Ghana’s Elvis Ahorgah (15-4, 13 KOs), who previously fought British contenders Callum Simpson and Tyler Denny in the United Kingdom, will return to Africa to face Newcastle’s Joe Laws (15-4, 5 KOs) in a super-middleweight contest.

British southpaw Michael McKinson (27-2, 4 KOs) is scheduled to take on unbeaten Algerian prospect Mohammad Sahnoun (8-0, 6 KOs). Meanwhile, teenage Nigerian sensation Raheem Animashaun (19-0, 12 KOs) will clash with experienced Tanzanian boxer Emmanuel Amos (22-10-1, 13 KOs) in a youth-versus-experience encounter.

Other fights on the card include Nigerian prospect Basit Adebayo against Tanzanian veteran Loren Japhet, national middleweight champion Rasheed Adeyemo facing Nicolaus Michael Mdoe, and UK-based Ghanaian welterweight Samuel Antwi battling Congolese fighter Paul Kamanga.

For Khan, the Lagos event represents part of a broader strategy to tap into new boxing markets. While Saudi Arabia has become a major destination for the sport’s biggest fights and prize purses, emerging regions such as Africa are increasingly seen as promising opportunities for long-term growth.