Sports
Boxing: Khan Brings Chaos In Ring To Lagos
Amir Khan has had a career many boxers dream of.
Olympic silver at 17. Unified world title in his 20s. Unforgettable nights with Marcos Maidana, Zab Judah and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
And then, years later, reality TV infamy with his own documentary, not forgetting his role in I’m a Celebrity’s strawberry-gate.
Now the former champion has swapped fight nights and jungle antics for a new adventure.
Today, Khan will bring top-tier professional boxing to Nigeria for the first time on the country’s Independence Day, when the streets of Lagos will be alive with parades, music and national pride.
“You can imagine all the hype. Everyone will have a day off and will want to come,” Khan tells Tidesports source from his home in Dubai.
The event, called Chaos in the Ring, is being promoted by Khan’s AK Promotions in partnership with African-based Balmoral Group Promotions.
It follows his debut card in Ghana earlier this year, but Khan believes Lagos will be even bigger.
“I’m still new to the game but I want to learn quick and move quick,” he says. “Why Africa? I think it’s an untouched market.”
A cruiserweight encounter between Brandon Glanton and Marcus Browne headlines, while British light-heavyweight Dan Azeez will tick off a bucket list fight by boxing on Nigerian soil.
Taking fighters back to their roots is a key theme of Khan’s promotion.
Earlier this year, Londoner Ohara Davies boxed in Ghana, where his parents are from.
It is something Khan himself never had the chance to do. The son of Pakistani parents who emigrated to the UK, he has always spoken with pride about his heritage and the bond it gave him with fans in South Asia.
“If I had the opportunity to fight in Pakistan, that would have been amazing,” he says.
Khan admits moving into promotion has been a learning curve.
He expected tough negotiations but soon realised the scale of the challenge with fighters demanding inflated purses, games of bluff and brinkmanship.
“It’s like a game of chess,” he says. Yet his own career gives him perspective and hope.
Khan headlined shows from Las Vegas to Madison Square Garden, fought under every major promoter and became one of a handful of British boxers to truly cross into the mainstream.
He hopes that experience, knowing both the glamour and the grind, will help him build shows fighters can trust.
“I’m not expecting to make anything in the next couple of years as a promoter. I’m happy to roll the dice because I want to learn the trade as I go,” he says.
For now, his plan is to grow the sport in Africa and the Middle East, before breaking back into the UK market when the timing is right.
He also dreams of staging fights in Saudi Arabia as part of the lucrative Riyadh Season.
But to do that, he knows he needs support.
Khan is calling on broadcasters, co-promoters and former allies to show him the same loyalty he once gave them.
“I made them millions, let’s see if they do the same for me now,” he adds.
Port Harcourt the capital city of Rivers State will be at the centre stage in Nigeria as Port Harcourt Arsenal Community will hold her maiden edition of Football Fans Fiesta (FFF).
The Fiesta scheduled to hold on the 13th December, 2025, at Eddiz wine bar GRA, promises to be all football fans carnival in the State , as there will be a lot of fanfares.
The Coordinator of Port Harcourt Arsenal Community (PHAC), Ugochukwu Oputa has said that the forthcoming Football Fans Fiesta was basically to promote peace, unity and love among football fans in irrespective of the cub.
He stated that sports is a catalyst to bring peace, love and Unity in any given society, hence the occasion was initiated.
Oputa said this in an interview with sports journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, saying that arrangements are on top gear for a successful programme.
” This event is for all football fans irrespective of your club. It is basically to promote peace, love and Unity among fans.
“It is like stating the obvious that football is the catalyst of peace and unity in the world. So the Port Harcourt Arsenal Community want to use this avenue to bring people together and foster friendship.
“There is no gate fee, but it is expected to put on jersey of your club as to make the event look unique” Oputa said.
The Coordinator used the forum to advice football fans in the world to love one another, and equally urged fans that will attend the occasion to be of good conduct and behaviour.
Tonye Orabere
Consistent with its project execution routine, Dunamis-Icon Limited, Project Consultants of the Niger Delta Games, has concluded the first phase of physical inspection and evaluation of facilities for the event, 24 hours after the presentation of the hosting right to Edo State was performed.
The project management team was guided round select facilty locations in Benin City by Desmond Amadin Enabulele, Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, and the team leader, Sir Itiako Ikpokpo expressed satisfaction with the sports infrastructure assets of the host.
“Edo is a ready-made choice based on all the factors that are necessary to host this kind of big event. We are expecting over 3000 athletes coaches, alongside journalists and technical officials, with an approximate number of people outside spectators in the range of 5000. So, we need facilities that work for the games itself”, Ikpokpo explained.
He commended the Edo State Government for the good state of facilities at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, and promised that the state will be assisted with the renovation of some of the facilities as may be necessary to ensure good competition experience for the athletes.
“I have been to the iconic Ogbe Stadium and must commend the Edo State Government for maintaining the facilities there. We are also considering taking some events to the University of Benin, so that people in that part of the city can also feel and enjoy the fun. Where need be, we will also see how to assist the state and the University of Benin to add value to some of the sporting facilities”.
Dunamis Icon Limited is the franchise rights owner to the games conceived and designed to provide a platform for unity and integration, and identifying and grooming talented youths from the region into national and international stars.
The NDDC as the flagship interventionist agency for the nine states that make up the region, is the prime sponsor of the games as part of their strategic focus on youth engagement and human capital development.
The inspection tour began at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, after a brief meeting with Enabulele and the Sports Commission team at his office.
Areas inspected include the stadium’s main bowl, the tartan track, the state box, the VIP lounges and other key areas like the ceremonial room, the media studio and other indoor facilities.
Other facility locations assessed are the Wire Road Sports Centre being listed to host basketball and volleyball games, the University of Benin Sports Complex, and the Etete Sports Centre.
In the entourage of Dunamis-Icon were the Project Director, Mr Fred Edoreh; Director of Facilities and Equipment, Dr Emmanuel Ochuko Igbigbisie; the head of Communications, Harry Iwuala; Head of Transport and Logistics, Israel Umueri Afoke. Others are Theresa Ineke, Head of Secretariat, Godwin Enakhena, the Head of Scouting, Mr. Edi Lawani, the Head of Culture Affairs and Entertainment and Elder Siegha Porbeni of the Technical Department.
The Edo Sports Commission Chairman was also supported by Hon. Frank Ilaboya and Mrs Sabina Chikere, Executive Directors, with Mr Baldwin Bazuaye (MON) also in the company.
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