Anthony Joshua’s name might come in the news, a lot now. While he is a boxing champion himself, sadly the reason his name has become famous is because of his alleged involvement with Faryal Makhdoom, the now-estranged wife of British-Pakistani Boxer Amir Khan.
So let’s get you caught up a bit about the main man himself:
1. He’s a heavyweight boxing champion
Currently the unified boxing champion, in the world, Anthony Joshua started boxing at the age of 18. He is now 27 years old.
2. He has Nigerian heritage and spent some of his early years in his parents’ home country
Anthony Joshua was born in Watford, UK to Nigerian parents in 1989. He spent some of his early years in Nigeria, before returning to Watford half way through Year 7 and attending Kings Langley Secondary School.
3. His childhood nickname was “Femi”
Called ‘Femi’ by his friends and former teachers, due to his middle name ‘Oluwafemi’, Joshua excelled at football and athletics, running the 100m in just 11.6 seconds when he was in Year 9.
4. He has a 100% knockout-to-win ratio
5. He’s been in 19 games…he’s won 19 games
6. He won gold at the London Olympics 2012
Joshua went into the London 2012 Olympics as a world silver medalist. In the final he won Olympic gold against reigning champion Roberto Cammarelle on a countback after drawing on points (18-18).
7. And he can throw a mean punch like this
8. He casually makes people around him look really really tiny
Loooool look at that tiny man trying to hold him back from knocking his opponent out.
9. He trains hard
He trains like he means it. And he definitely means it.
10. He once got major flack from anti-Muslim outfits when he prayed in a mosque, earlier this year
While he doesn’t believe in any one religion, he’s interested in religion in general. After images of him praying in a mosque came out, anti-Muslim group said weren’t happy. Not one bit.
11. Also, his real name is Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua
That’s. An tho ny Olu Wafe Mi Jo Shu A. Now, try saying it in one go. Go ahead.
Either way, we’d want to know a lot more about this man. We’ll probably be finding out more about this unified heavyweight champion in the days to come, as Amir Khan and Faryal Makhdoom’s domestic drama unfolds.