SUMMARY
- Anthony Joshua was born in and brought up in Watford, Hertfordshire, England.
- As a youngster, he developed some bad habits, owing to his fractured family.
Anthony Joshua is one of the world’s best heavyweight boxers right now. Born and brought up in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, he always had the makings of an athlete. With that said, he was reportedly a notorious young boy. Since then, he has come a long way to become one of the most sought-after boxers on the planet.
As an adolescent, ‘AJ’ supposedly fell into the world of street fighting, smoking, and alcohol. Despite this, owing to the fantastic support of his mother, his three siblings, and other relatives, Joshua was able to forge his path to stardom. Unbeknownst to the general public, Anthony also went to prison for getting into physical altercations in his neighborhood.
Over the years, the boxer has developed himself and mended his ways. Instead of spending his time on activities that would have gotten him into trouble, Joshua turned his attention towards boxing. As such, it has changed him from a troubled youngster to the calm, wise-headed individual we see now.
Anthony Joshua’s childhood and upbringing
Born in 1989, Anthony Joshua ( full name Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua) spent a lot of his childhood in England. Raised by his parents Yeta Odusanya and Robert Joshua, the boxer comes from Nigerian and Irish ancestry. Notably, his roots are from the Yoruba-speaking community of Southwest Nigeria.
Growing up, things got difficult for AJ after the divorce of his parents when he was only 12 years old. Having done his early schooling and spent time in Nigeria, Joshua quickly had to move back to England to live with his mother and three siblings. Notably, Joshua has a brother, Jacob, and two sisters, Loretta and Janet.
Due to the lack of a father figure in his budding years, Anthony found himself going down the wrong path. Despite being excellent at soccer, athletics, and sprinting, a young AJ couldn’t help but go down the wrong path. Around this time, Joshua’s cousin suggested that he should take up boxing, at the time, he was 18 years old.
Anthony Joshua is one of the biggest boxing stars on the planet
Despite his late start in the game, Anthony Joshua was blessed with the genetics of a gifted athlete. With his massive frame and dominating size, AJ quickly made a name for himself in the regional scene. Notably, he was presented with the opportunity to turn pro very early on. However, he rejected that offer, opting to fight for trophies and medals instead. Over the years, he would go on to win many regional and international accolades.
Following his gold medal win at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Joshua finally transitioned to pro boxing in 2013. Signing on with Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn, the boxer gradually worked his way to becoming a superstar, a known figure, and a dashing young bachelor. Thereafter, he would go on to win the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles before losing them to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021.
Despite his accomplishments in the sport up until that point, Joshua did not rest on his laurels and began making his way back to the title. Collecting three wins after the losses to Usyk, AJ has shot himself back into title contention. With the likes of Usyk, Tyson Fury, and Francis Ngannou in the picture, it will be a tall order for Joshua to reclaim what he lost.
Now 34, he has come a long way from where he began and could potentially transcend his own legacy. With an estimated net worth of more than $80 million, Joshua’s story is an incredibly inspiring tale of hard work, humility, and patience. Win or lose, Anthony will always have the love and support of millions of fans around the globe for each and every fight.