Anthony Joshua

October 15, 2024

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua, born on October 15, 1989, is a well-known English professional boxer who is currently the two-time Unified Heavyweight World Champion. Outside of the heavyweights like Mike Tyson and Mohammed Ali, few competitors have conquered and ruled the heavyweight division like Joshua. Joshua currently holds three of the four main world championships. He is fully emerging as a boxing legend and we celebrate him today and his special day.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua

Nickname:

Birth date:

October 15, 1989

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Libra

Height:

6' 6"

Relationship Status:

Single

Net Worth:

$80 million

Background

Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua was born on October 15, 1989, to Yeta Joshua and Robert Joshua in Watford, Hertfordshire, England. Joshua attended a boarding school in Nigeria and at the age of 12, moved back to the U.K. when his parents divorced. He then attended the Kings Langley High School and went by the middle name Oluwafemi, but his teachers and friends liked to call him Femi. Joshua has held the title in both football and track, and in his ninth year, he clocked a time of 11.66 seconds for the 100-meter sprint.

In 2007, when Joshua was just 18 years old, he decided to start boxing. Joshua’s relative had persuaded him to try it, and eventually, Joshua did. He won the Haringey Box Cup in 2009 and repeated the feat the following year. He won the A.B.A. Championship that same year, which he accomplished brilliantly in Fight 18.

In 2013, Joshua won his professional debut by T.K.O. over Emanuele Leo. For the W.B.C. International heavyweight title in 2014, he defeated Denis Bakjtov. Against Gary Cornish and Dillian Whyte, Joshua defeated them to win the British and Commonwealth heavyweight belts in 2015. Joshua defeated fighters including Wladimir Klitschko, Carlos Takam, Charles Martin, Dominic Breazeale, Eric Molina, Joseph Parker, and Alexander Povetkin between 2016 and 2018. He defeated Martin, Klitschko, and Parker to win the I.B.F. heavyweight title, the W.B.A. and I.B.O.heavyweight crowns, and the I.B.O. heavyweight title. 2019 saw one of the biggest upsets in boxing history as Andy Ruiz Jr. defeated Joshua to win the championship. Joshua lost his first fight in the U.S. after being repeatedly knocked to the ground. Several months later, in Saudi Arabia, Joshua defeated Ruiz in a rematch. In December 2020, Joshua faced Kubrat Pulev to defend his championships.

Career timeline

2013

The Professional Debut

Joshua makes his professional debut on October 5 at the O2 Arena in London.

2015

The British and Commonwealth Champion

Joshua defeats Gary Cornish and Dillian Whyte to claim the British and Commonwealth heavyweight championships.

2016

The I.B.F. Heavyweight Champion

To win his first world championship, Joshua defeats I.B.F. heavyweight champion Charles Martin and Dominic Breazeale in a fight to retain this championship.

2018

The Three Championship Titles

Joshua defeats Martin, Klitschko, and Parker to win the I.B.F. heavyweight title, the W.B.A, and I.B.O.heavyweight crowns, and the I.B.O. heavyweight title.

2019

The Defeat

Joshua loses his first fight in the U.S. when Andy Ruiz Jr. defeats him to win the championship.

2021

The Fight With Tyson Fury

In September, Joshua is defeated by the former undisputed cruiserweight champion and loses the championships.

Why We Love Anthony Joshua

He is continually striving to get better
Joshua holds that even when you don't have anything, never settle for less; instead, keep up your craft, stay ambitious, and always look up. He is an inspiration to many.
He puts discipline first
Joshua says that discipline is the secret to his success. He describes it as the motivation behind all you do.
He supports various charities
He has done fantastic work for charity throughout his boxing career, most notably through the Forever Hope Foundation. Joshua has worked with the organization on multiple occasions, and in 2019 he assisted in raising $11k to benefit Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, one of the foundation's former charity partners.

5 Surprising Facts About Joshua

He has two tattoos
Joshua has a tattoo of a lion's face on the top of his left middle finger and a tattoo of a nighttime scene with the full moon shining on fir trees on the lower portion of his left middle finger.
He plays chess competitively
Joshua isn't only about pounding the air with his fists; he also plays chess competitively.
His gold post box in Watford
After Joshua won the gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics, Royal Mail decided to commemorate the achievement by painting a post box in his hometown of Watford.
He declined a sponsorship
Joshua had a $56k offer to go pro in 2010, but he turned it down saying he was more interested in winning medals.
He once worked as a bricklayer
Joshua worked on construction projects before he began boxing.