Anthony Joshua went from a late start in boxing to Olympic gold and two reigns as unified heavyweight champion of the world. Born in England to Nigerian parents, “AJ” is proud of his roots in Sagamu, Ogun State.
Quick facts
| Full name | Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 October 1989, Watford, England |
| Nigerian roots | Sagamu, Ogun State (Yoruba heritage) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Big honours | Olympic gold (London 2012); two-time unified world heavyweight champion |
Early life
Joshua was born in Watford, England, to Nigerian parents, and spent part of his childhood in Nigeria, including time at Mayflower School in Ikenne, Ogun State. He only took up boxing at 18 at a club in north London, but progressed incredibly fast.
Olympic champion
Just four years after starting, he won super-heavyweight gold at the London 2012 Olympics. He turned professional in 2013 and knocked out his first opponents one after another.
World champion — twice
- 2016 — won the IBF title by beating Charles Martin.
- 2017 — beat Wladimir Klitschko in front of about 90,000 fans at Wembley in one of the greatest heavyweight fights of the era.
- 2019 — lost his titles to Andy Ruiz Jr in a huge upset, then won them back in a rematch in Saudi Arabia months later.
- 2021–2022 — lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk.
- 2023–2024 — rebuilt with wins including a knockout of Francis Ngannou, before a loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September 2024.
