Anthony Joshua, officially known as Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua OBE, is a prominent British-Nigerian professional boxer.
Born on October 15, 1989, in Watford, United Kingdom, he attended Kings Langley Secondary School and Mayflower School. Joshua is a two-time unified world heavyweight champion, holding the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO titles between 2016 and June 2019 and regaining them in December 2019. His accolades include winning The Future Awards Africa Nigeria prize in sports.
Anthony Joshua’s Early Life
Born to Yeta and Robert Joshua, Anthony’s Nigerian heritage can be traced to the Yoruba people, where he holds an aristocratic rank. Following his parents’ divorce at the age of 12, Joshua returned to the UK and joined Kings Langley Secondary School. Growing up in Garston, Hertfordshire, on the Meriden Estate, he was affectionately called “Femi” by friends and teachers, reflecting his middle name, Oluwafemi.
Professional Career
Anthony Joshua embarked on his professional boxing career under the Matchroom Sport promotional banner on July 11, 2013. His debut match on October 5, 2013, at the O2 Arena in London, resulted in a technical knockout (TKO) victory against Emanuele Leo in the first round. Subsequent victories, including a second-round TKO against Paul Butlin and a third-round stoppage against Matt Skelton, showcased Joshua’s rising prowess.
In his ninth professional appearance, Joshua secured the vacant WBC International heavyweight title by defeating Dennis Bakhtov with a second-round knockout on October 11, 2014. With an undefeated record of 9–0, Joshua, at the age of 24, added another title to his impressive resume.
Continuing his dominance, Joshua defeated Michael Sprott in the first round on November 22, 2014, extending his record to ten wins, all by stoppage. Remarkably, this victory lasted only 1 minute and 26 seconds, bringing Joshua’s total ring time in the professional ranks to just 36 minutes and 36 seconds.
Anthony Joshua’s professional journey has been characterized by a series of spectacular victories, establishing him as a formidable force in the world of boxing.
Personal Life
Joshua has shown a keen interest in chess and reading, using these pursuits to enhance his boxing and tactical skills. Before dedicating himself to boxing full-time, he worked as a bricklayer.
In 2009, Joshua found himself on remand in Reading Prison, attributing it to “fighting and other reckless behaviour.” Following his release, he was required to wear an electronic tag on his ankle.
In March 2011, Joshua was stopped by the police for speeding in Colindale, North London. During the encounter, eight ounces (226.8 grams) of herbal cannabis were discovered concealed in a sports bag in his Mercedes-Benz. Charged with possession with intent to supply a class B drug, an offence carrying a maximum 14-year sentence, Joshua faced consequences. He was suspended from the GB Boxing squad and later received a 12-month community order and 100 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty in crown court.
In 2012, Joshua stated he did not support any football team. However, in a 2017 interview, he revealed that while he supports his local team, Watford F.C., his “overall favourite” team is Real Madrid C.F., mainly due to his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, who was a player at Real Madrid during that time. In the same interview, he referred to English footballer Troy Deeney, whom he encountered by chance at a local barbershop in his hometown of Watford, as his “good friend.”
During an interview with iFL TV in July 2014, Joshua listed Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Larry Holmes, Lennox Lewis, and Evander Holyfield as his top five greatest heavyweight boxers of all time.
Anthony Joshua’s net worth
In his initial bout against Usyk, the heavyweight from Watford earned £15 million, surpassing his opponent who received £5 million.
During the rematch, despite his prior loss, the £65 million purse was evenly divided, resulting in Joshua taking home a substantial £32.5 million. This implies that the former Olympic Gold Medalist boxer accumulated nearly £50 million from his two recent fights.
In 2019, Joshua secured another £50 million when he faced Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia, solidifying his position as one of the wealthiest boxers in the sport’s history.
Before COVID’s emergence, Joshua sold out Wembley and the Principality Stadium and walked away with over £10m from each of his six fights leading up to the Pulev encounter.
This means he has earned an estimated £200m from boxing.
Anthony Joshua Girlfriend
Former heavyweight world champion Joshua, 34, is still single despite his sporting fame and a fortune in the tens of millions.
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