After winning gold at the Olympics for Great Britain, Anthony Joshua was the first to stage massive world title bouts at UK football stadiums. The former two-time unified heavyweight champion, however, takes great pride in his Nigerian heritage.
Joshua was born in Watford, England, on October 15, 1989. His father has Irish and Nigerian ancestry, while his mother is Nigerian. The future world champion went to boarding school in the town of Ikenne, Nigeria, during some of his early years.
After his parents’ divorce, “AJ” returned to the UK at the age of 12 and attended Kings Langley Secondary School in Hertfordshire. He returned to Nigeria for the first time in 17 years after losing his world titles to Andy Ruiz in 2019.
“People say, ‘Why did you come back as a non-champion?’ I say, ‘Because you respect me as a person whether I have the belts or not. Don’t ever judge me for that. You respect me first,’” said Joshua in an interview with Apple’s Songs for Life.
“That was my message, and it was just the right time. When you’re winning, everyone wants a piece of you. When I lost, I had more time to do what I wanted. It was just a time to go back and see family or friends.”
In 2020, Joshua visited his family’s ancestral home of Sagamu where there’s now a street named after him. The town also has its own Anthony Joshua Fan Club and there are plans to build a gym there.
On Saturday, Sept. 21, at Wembley Stadium, AJ will look to become just the fifth three-time heavyweight champion in boxing history when he takes on IBF titleholder Daniel Dubois in front of 96,000 fans.
The Sporting News takes a look at how Joshua pays tribute to his Nigerian roots and assesses the likelihood of him fighting on the African continent.
Does Anthony Joshua donate to charities in Nigeria?
At the height of the COVID pandemic, Joshua sent much-needed necessities to Nigeria.
The Englishman is known for his charity work in the UK and Nigeria. He’s a philanthropist and has received universal praise for his endeavors.
What is the tattoo Anthony Joshua has on his right shoulder?
The ex-champion has a map of Africa on his right shoulder with Nigeria highlighted.
Will Anthony Joshua fight on the African continent?
To this point, Joshua has not competed in Africa. However, his promoter, Eddie Hearn, is confident that this might happen in the future.
“It’s something that would be iconic for the sport,” Hearn told BBC World Service’s Newsday. “When we’re visiting these countries, there’s government funding to stage these events. Sometimes that isn’t forthcoming in all areas but there have been discussions and I think it will happen in time.”
