Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua has a son, Joseph Bayley Temiloluwa Prince Joshua, with his on-and-off girlfriend, Nicole Osborne, a pole dancing teacher whom he knows from school. They share the responsibilities of Joseph together.

The boxer Amir Khan accused Joshua of being involved with his ex-wife, Farval Makhdoom. Joshua denied the rumor and claimed that he had not even met Farval.

He has had a couple of skirmishes with law. He was first arrested for fighting and was remanded in Reading prison in 2007; later, he was arrested for possession of cannabis with intent to supply in March 2011. He escaped a jail sentence and was sentenced to a 12-month community order and 100 hours' unpaid work.

Anthony Joshua was born to Robert and Yeta Joshua on 15 October, 1989 in Watford, Hertfordshire. He spent most of his childhood at his ancestral home in Nigeria. He was five years old when his parents split, and his mother decided to move back.

He returned to Watford to attend Kings Langley Secondary School. He was nicknamed 'Femi' by his friends and teachers because of his middle name 'Oluwafemi'.

He excelled at football and athletics while growing up and showed great promise as a sprinter when he broke the 100m record where he completed the run in 11.6 seconds. Before being absorbed by boxing, he worked as a bricklayer.

His cousin, Ben Lleyemi, took him to the Finchley Amateur Boxing Club in Barnet. This proved to be a turning point as he soon began training as a boxer here.

Anthony Joshua won the Haringey Boxing Cup for two straight years in 2009 and 2010. His twenties were a roaring success as he won all 18 fights at the Amateur level. This included winning the Senior ABA Championships. He turned down the offer of £50,000 to turn professional.

In the European Amateur Boxing Championships in June 2011, he defeated Eric Berechlin and Chathal McMonagle. He was however interrupted by the Romanian Mihai Nistor.

He was part of the GB Boxing Team and soon won the GB Amateur Boxing Championships. His performance in the World Amateur Boxing Championships in 2011 earned him a spot at the 2012 Olympic Games.

He held an amateur record of 40-3 and was accorded the title of Amateur Boxer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Club of Great Britain in 2011.

Though a novice internationally, his first appearance at the London Olympics was sealed with a gold medal in 2012 when he defeated Italy’s Roberto Cammarelle in the super heavyweight division.

He was made the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2013. This was in recognition for his services to boxing for his home country.