Joshua only took boxing seriously at about 18, unusually late for an elite heavyweight. His cousin, Gbenga Ileyemi, an ABA heavyweight champion, introduced him to the sport.
Before boxing took over, Joshua was involved in football and athletics. At 15, he reportedly ran 100 metres in 11 seconds.
Joshua won the 2012 Olympic super-heavyweight gold medal at just 22, despite having only around three years of serious boxing experience.
His 2012 final against Italy’s Roberto Cammarelle ended 18–18. Joshua was awarded the gold medal on countback after a dramatic final round.
Joshua defeated Cammarelle in the 2011 World Championships quarter-final, a victory that helped qualify him for the London Olympics.
At the 2011 World Championships in Baku, Joshua won silver, losing to Magomedrasul Medzhidov in the final.
Joshua turned professional in July 2013, less than a year after winning Olympic gold.
Joshua started his professional career with an extraordinary run: 20 consecutive victories, all by KO or stoppage.
After turning professional, Joshua used some of his earnings to buy equipment for Finchley ABC, the club where he trained.
Joshua was born in Watford, England, and his full name is Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua. His Nigerian heritage is reflected in his Yoruba names, particularly “Oluwafemi” and “Olaseni.”
