History of Anthony Joshua in Timeline
Anthony Joshua is a British professional boxer who has twice held the unified world heavyweight championship between 2016 and 2021. Prior to his world titles, he held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles from 2015 to 2016. Known for his powerful punching and exciting fighting style, Joshua has been a prominent figure in the heavyweight division.
1978: Ali vs. Spinks Rematch
In 1978, the Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks rematch gathered 63,000 fans at the New Orleans Superdome, which was the previous record of largest boxing attendance to be expected indoors, before Joshua.
1987: Tony Tucker's Reign
In 1987, Tony Tucker had a reign that was shorter than the one Charles Martin had as IBF heavyweight champion.
October 1989: Anthony Joshua's Birth
In October 1989, Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, to parents Yeta and Robert Joshua.
2007: Start of Boxing Career
In 2007, at the age of 18, Anthony Joshua began boxing after his cousin suggested he take it up, marking the beginning of his journey in the sport.
2008: Zhang Zhilei at Beijing Olympics
In 2008, Zhang Zhilei won silver medal at the Beijing Olympics.
2009: Amateur Loss to Whyte
In 2009, Anthony Joshua fought Dillian Whyte within the amateur rankings and lost, marking an early encounter in their rivalry.
2009: Remand in Reading Prison
In 2009, Anthony Joshua was put on remand in Reading Prison for "fighting and other crazy stuff." He was released with an electronic tag on his ankle.
2009: Haringey Box Cup Win
In 2009, Anthony Joshua won the Haringey Box Cup, showcasing his early talent and progress in amateur boxing.
2009: Klitschko's Weight
Wladimir Klitschko weighed in at 240 and a quarter pounds, the lightest he had weighed since 2009.
2010: Senior ABA Championships Win
In 2010, Anthony Joshua won the senior ABA Championships in only his 18th bout and also became British amateur champion at the GB Championships, demonstrating his rapid rise in amateur boxing.
March 2011: Arrest for drug possession
In March 2011, Anthony Joshua was arrested for speeding and found with cannabis in his car. He was charged with possession with intent to supply, suspended from the GB Boxing squad, and sentenced to community service after pleading guilty.
October 2011: Amateur Boxer of the Year
In October 2011, Anthony Joshua was named Amateur Boxer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Club of Great Britain, recognizing his achievements and potential in amateur boxing.
2011: World Championships Silver Medal
During the 2011 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, Anthony Joshua won a silver medal, marking his arrival on the world boxing scene.
2012: Olympic Gold Medal
In 2012, Anthony Joshua represented Great Britain at the Olympics and won a gold medal, marking a significant achievement in his amateur boxing career.
2012: Secured Place at the Olympics
In 2012, Anthony Joshua secured his place at the Olympic Games in the super-heavyweight division, solidifying his position as a top contender in amateur boxing.
2012: No support for any football team
In 2012, Anthony Joshua stated he did not support any football team.
July 2013: Turns Professional
On 11 July 2013, Anthony Joshua confirmed turning professional under Matchroom Sport.
October 2013: Professional Debut
On 5 October 2013, Anthony Joshua made his professional debut at the O2 Arena in London, defeating Emanuele Leo by TKO in the first round.
November 2013: Third Professional Fight
On 14 November 2013, Anthony Joshua achieved his third consecutive knockout victory in a fight against Hrvoje Kišiček.
2013: Professional Debut with Cousin
In 2013, Anthony Joshua and his cousin, Ben Ileyemi, both professional boxers, made their professional debuts together, starting their journey in the boxing world.
2013: Appointed MBE
In 2013, Anthony Joshua was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to boxing, receiving recognition for his contributions to the sport.
2013: Eddie Hearn promotes debut
In 2013, Eddie Hearn began to promote Anthony Joshua's professional debut.
February 2014: Fourth Professional Win
In February 2014, Anthony Joshua scored a second-round TKO victory over Dorian Darch, improving his professional record to 4-0.
July 2014: Top five heavyweight boxers
In July 2014, Anthony Joshua named Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Larry Holmes, Lennox Lewis, and Evander Holyfield as his top five greatest heavyweight boxers of all-time.
July 2014: Seventh Professional Fight
On 12 July 2014, Anthony Joshua defeated Matt Skelton via a second-round stoppage at the Echo Arena in Liverpool.
September 2014: Fighting in Manchester
In September 2014, Anthony Joshua fought in Manchester for the first time since September 2014.
September 2014: Eighth Professional Fight
On 13 September 2014, Anthony Joshua defeated Konstantin Airich via a third-round stoppage at the Manchester Arena, extending his undefeated record to 8-0.
October 2014: WBC International Heavyweight Title Win
On 11 October 2014, Anthony Joshua won the vacant WBC International heavyweight title against Dennis Bakhtov at The O2 Arena in London, marking a significant achievement in his early professional career.
November 2014: Tenth Professional Win
On 22 November 2014, Anthony Joshua defeated Michael Sprott in the first round, extending his professional record to ten wins, all by stoppage.
2014: Joshua's Lightest Since 2014
In 2014, Joshua weighed 242.2 pounds, his lightest since 2014 when he fought Michael Sprott.
2014: Prospect of the Year
In 2014, a year after turning professional, Anthony Joshua was named Prospect of the Year by The Ring magazine, recognizing his potential in the professional boxing world.
January 2015: Fight Cancellation Due to Injury
In January 2015, Anthony Joshua's scheduled fight against Kevin Johnson was cancelled due to a back injury sustained by Joshua, leading to a setback in his boxing schedule.
April 2015: Return to the Ring
On 4 April 2015, Anthony Joshua returned to the ring after recovering from a back injury, defeating Jason Gavern with a third-round KO in Newcastle.
May 2015: Victories Over Love and Johnson
In May 2015, Anthony Joshua defeated Raphael Zumbano Love and former world title challenger Kevin Johnson, showcasing his dominance in the heavyweight division.
July 2015: Fight Announcement Against Gary Cornish
On 16 July 2015, it was announced that Anthony Joshua would fight Gary Cornish for the vacant Commonwealth heavyweight title, setting up a significant match in his career.
December 2015: Victory over Dillian Whyte
In December 2015, Anthony Joshua defeated Dillian Whyte in a grudge match for the vacant British heavyweight title, also defending his Commonwealth heavyweight title, in a significant moment in his career.
December 2015: Reference to Previous Bout
Reference to the initial bout that occurred on December 12 2015, which was a bout between Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua.
2015: British and Commonwealth Heavyweight Titles
From 2015 to 2016, Anthony Joshua held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles, establishing himself at the regional level before achieving global recognition.
2015: Fathered a son, Joseph "JJ" Joshua
In 2015, Anthony Joshua fathered a son named Joseph "JJ" Joshua with dance teacher Nicole Osbourne.
2015: Klitschko vs Fury Viewership
In 2015, the Klitschko vs. Fury fight viewership was 8.91 million. Joshua's fight averaged 10.43 million viewers, exceeding the Klitschko vs. Fury viewership in 2015.
January 2016: Charles Martin Wins IBF Title
In January 2016, Charles Martin won the IBF heavyweight title after defeating Vyacheslav Glazkov for the vacant title, setting up a future match against Anthony Joshua.
February 2016: Fight Announcement vs. Charles Martin
In February 2016, it was announced that Anthony Joshua would face IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin on April 9, 2016, for his first world title opportunity.
April 2016: IBF Heavyweight Title Win
On April 9, 2016, Anthony Joshua defeated Charles Martin to win the IBF heavyweight title, marking his first world title victory and a major milestone in his career.
June 2016: IBF Title Defense Against Breazeale
On June 25, 2016, Anthony Joshua successfully defended his IBF heavyweight title against Dominic Breazeale with a seventh-round knockout win at the O2 Arena in London, continuing his reign as champion.
November 2016: WBA Sanctions Joshua vs. Klitschko
In November 2016, the WBA agreed to sanction a unification bout between Joshua and Klitschko for the vacant WBA (Super) title, contingent on Joshua retaining his belt against Eric Molina.
2016: Unified World Heavyweight Champion
In 2016, Anthony Joshua became the unified world heavyweight champion for the first time, marking a significant milestone in his boxing career.
2016: Parker's Lightest Since 2016
In 2016, Parker weighed in at 236.7 pounds, his lightest since he fought Solomon Haumono in 2016.
January 2017: Record Ticket Sales for Joshua vs. Klitschko
In January 2017, it was announced that over 80,000 tickets had been sold for the Joshua vs. Klitschko fight, setting a new box office record.
March 2017: Kevin Johnson's Comeback
In March 2017, Kevin Johnson made a comeback to boxing after previously announcing his retirement a day after Anthony Joshua defeated him in May 2015.
April 2017: Joshua vs Klitschko set for Wembley
In April 2017, it was agreed that if Joshua retained his belt against Eric Molina, the fight against Klitschko would take place on April 29, 2017, at Wembley Stadium in London.
June 2017: IBF Grants Exemption for Klitschko Rematch
On June 7, 2017, the IBF granted Joshua an exemption to rematch Klitschko instead of fighting mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev, with the rematch needing to occur by December 2, 2017.
August 2017: Klitschko Announces Retirement
On August 3, 2017, Klitschko announced his retirement from boxing, ending the possibility of a Joshua v Klitschko rematch, soon after the IBF granted an exemption.
August 2017: Joshua Ordered to Fight Pulev
On August 4, 2017, after Klitschko's retirement, the IBF ordered Joshua to fight Kubrat Pulev next, with a deal needing to be reached by September 3, 2017.
September 2017: Deadline to reach a deal with Pulev
By September 3, 2017, Joshua and Kubrat Pulev were expected to reach a deal to fight next.
October 2017: Joshua and Pulev potential date
On August 22, 2017, details between the camps of Joshua and Pulev were being discussed and close to being finalised for the date of October 28, 2017, with Las Vegas as the potential host.
October 2017: Eric Molina banned
On October 28, 2017, Eric Molina's two-year ban from fighting in the UK started, this was due to him testing positive for dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, after his loss to Joshua.
November 2017: Racist comments and social media posts
In November 2017, Anthony Joshua made racist comments on social media, including calling Eddie Chambers a "disgrace to the superior black race." While his promoter claimed a fake account was responsible, it was proven the comments came from Joshua's verified account.
December 2017: IBF Rematch Deadline
In December 2017, the IBF rematch deadline was set for no later than December 2, 2017, where the winner must fight Pulev next with no exemptions.
2017: Support for Watford F.C. and Real Madrid
In 2017, Anthony Joshua said he supported his local team Watford F.C., but his "overall favourite" team was Real Madrid C.F. due to Cristiano Ronaldo. He also described Troy Deeney as a "good friend."
2017: Joshua Ranked Most Marketable Athlete
In 2017, Anthony Joshua was ranked as the world's most marketable athlete, surpassing Stephen Curry.
2017: Fight of the Year
In 2017, Anthony Joshua's victorious fight against Wladimir Klitschko was named Fight of the Year by The Ring and the Boxing Writers Association of America, highlighting the excitement and significance of the bout.
2017: Initial Pulev Fight
In 2017, Joshua had been initially announced to fight Kubrat Pulev, but a late injury to Pulev saw Carlos Takam replace him for the fight.
January 2018: Venue for Joshua vs. Parker Confirmed
On January 8, 2018, the Principality Stadium in Cardiff was confirmed as the venue for the Joshua vs. Parker fight.
March 2018: Potential Joshua vs. Parker Date
In March 2018, a potential date was discussed with Joshua's team for Joshua to fight Joseph Parker, however, Eddie Hearn offered an 80–20 split, which would favour Joshua.
April 2018: Potential Joshua vs Parker date
In April 2018, it was stated that the fight between Joshua and Parker should take place.
May 2018: Eric Molina issued a ban
On May 22, 2018, UK Anti-Doping issued Eric Molina with a two-year ban from fighting in the UK, backdated from October 28, 2017, until October 28, 2019. Molina tested positive for dexamethasone after his loss to Joshua.
June 2018: Joshua and Wilder in talks
From April up until the end of June 2018, both camps of Joshua and Wilder were in talks around the super fight between the two to finally take place. The main hurdles were the purse split, date and venue.
September 2018: Joshua's Plans for April 2019
In September 2018, Joshua allegedly knew he would be fighting in April 2019, but did not make any offers to fight Whyte.
September 2018: Joshua vs. Povetkin Announced
On July 5, Hearn announced that Wembley Stadium in London would host Joshua's next two fights on September 22, 2018, where Joshua would fight Povetkin. and again on April 13, 2019.
September 2018: Joshua Closer to Fighting Povetkin
With Joshua closer to fighting Alexander Povetkin in September 2018, Hearn stated the Joshua-Wilder fight would still take place in April 2019 at Wembley Stadium.
December 2018: Appointed OBE
In December 2018, Anthony Joshua was appointed Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in Queen's Birthday's Honours, further recognizing his contributions to boxing.
December 2018: Dillian Whyte Frontrunner to Challenge Joshua
In December 2018, Dillian Whyte was considered the frontrunner to challenge Anthony Joshua, but Whyte claimed Joshua offered him a 'severe lowball' for the rematch, lower than what he received against Chisora. Whyte also heard rumors that Joshua would drop the Wembley date.
2018: Future Potential Fights
In 2018, Hearn and Joshua spoke about potential fights which included fights with Joseph Parker and Deontay Wilder, where a win against both would see Joshua the undisputed champion and an all-English clash against Tyson Fury.
January 2019: Whyte Rejects Joshua's Offer
In January 2019, Dillian Whyte turned down a 'severe lowball' offer from Anthony Joshua for a rematch. Eddie Hearn stated that there was a possibility Joshua may fight in the US instead.
April 2019: Potential Joshua vs. Wilder Fight
In April 2019, Hearn stated the Joshua-Wilder fight would still take place at Wembley Stadium.
April 2019: Miller Tests Positive for Banned Substances
In April 2019, Jarrell Miller tested positive for the banned substance GW1516 in a VADA-conducted urine test. Further tests on March 31 also proved positive for EPO, HGH, and GW1516. Numerous boxers offered to replace Miller, and Luis Ortiz was Joshua's first choice.
April 2019: Joshua to Fight in April 2019
In April 2019, Whyte claimed Joshua did not want to fight him, despite knowing since September 2018, that he would be fighting in April 2019.
June 2019: Joshua Loses to Ruiz
On June 1, 2019, Joshua fought Andy Ruiz Jr., losing by TKO in the seventh round and losing his heavyweight titles. The fight is considered one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
October 2019: Eric Molina's Ban Ends
On October 28, 2019, Eric Molina's two-year ban from fighting in the UK ended. The ban started on October 28, 2017 due to Molina testing positive for dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, after his loss to Joshua.
December 2019: Joshua Reclaims Titles in Rematch
On December 7, 2019, Anthony Joshua defeated Andy Ruiz Jr. by unanimous decision in a rematch held in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. Joshua reclaimed his unified heavyweight titles, boxing a disciplined fight and keeping Ruiz at a distance.
March 2020: Joshua vs. Pulev Fight Announced
On March 2, 2020, it was announced that Joshua would defend his heavyweight titles against Kubrat Pulev at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20. The fight was later postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rescheduled for December.
April 2020: Joshua vs. Pulev Fight Postponed
On April 3, 2020, the fight between Joshua and Pulev was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
June 2020: Accusations of racism at Black Lives Matter protest
In June 2020, Anthony Joshua was accused of racism after his speech at a Black Lives Matter protest in Watford, where he encouraged investing in black-owned businesses. Some interpreted this as a call to boycott white businesses. Joshua responded that he only read the speech on behalf of a friend and denied being racist.
June 2020: Two-Fight Deal Agreed in Principle
In June 2020, a two-fight deal between Joshua and Fury had been agreed 'in principle'.
December 2020: Joshua Calls Out Fury After Pulev Victory
In December 2020, after defeating Kubrat Pulev, Joshua expressed his desire to fight Tyson Fury for the undisputed title.
2020: Positive relationship with Eddie Hearn
In 2020, Anthony Joshua spoke positively about his longtime promoter Eddie Hearn, stating that they "will always have a great friendship."
May 2021: Fury vs. Joshua Fight Announcement and Arbitration Ruling
In May 2021, a fight between Fury and Joshua was announced for August 14, 2021, in Saudi Arabia. However, an arbitration ruling stated that Fury had to fight Wilder for a third time, jeopardizing the Joshua fight. The WBO then ordered Joshua to fight Usyk.
August 2021: Fury Fight Cancelled
In August 2021, the fight between Fury and Joshua was cancelled.
September 2021: Joshua Activates Rematch Clause with Usyk
In September 2021, four days after losing to Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua activated the rematch clause specified in their fight contract.
2021: End of Championship Reign
In 2021, Anthony Joshua's reign as the unified world heavyweight champion ended, concluding a significant chapter in his boxing career.
2021: Inclusion in Powerlist 2021
In 2021, Joshua was included in the annual Powerlist as one of the 100 most influential Black Britons.
June 2022: Usyk vs. Joshua Rematch Announced
On June 19, 2022, it was officially announced that Usyk would face Joshua in a rematch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on August 20.
August 2022: Controversy over Saudi Arabia fight and human rights
In August 2022, Anthony Joshua faced controversy regarding his world-title challenge taking place in Saudi Arabia and the country's human rights record. Despite criticism, Joshua focused on the "positive side of things." A letter from Yasser al-Khayat urged Joshua to speak out against the oppression.
February 2023: Joshua vs. Franklin Fight Announced
On February 6, 2023, it was officially announced that Joshua would return to the ring on April 1 against Jermaine Franklin at The O2 Arena. On February 9, Joshua announced his new partnership with trainer Derrick James.
July 2023: Whyte vs. Joshua II Announced
In July 2023, a rematch between Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua was announced to be held at The O2 Arena in London.
August 12, 2023: Joshua Defeats Helenius
On August 12, 2023, Joshua defeated Robert Helenius by knockout in round 7.
August 2023: Joshua to face Robert Helenius after Whyte tests positive
In August 2023, after Dillian Whyte tested positive for a banned substance, Robert Helenius was announced as the replacement for Joshua. On August 12, 2023, Joshua defeated Helenius by knockout in round 7.
October 2023: Potential Fight with Wilder
In October 2023, reports stated that Joshua could potentially face Deontay Wilder on December 23 in Saudi Arabia.
2023: Investment in Alpine Formula One team
In 2023, Anthony Joshua joined the investment group of the Alpine racing team of Formula One.
March 2024: Joshua Defeats Ngannou
On March 8, 2024, Joshua faced Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia, knocking him down in the first round and winning by second-round knockout.
June 2024: Joshua to challenge for IBF Heavyweight title
On June 26 2024, it was announced that Joshua would be challenging Daniel Dubois for the IBF title on September 21 2024 at Wembley Stadium.
September 2024: Joshua's Fight in September
On September 21 2024, it was announced that Joshua would be challenging Daniel Dubois for the IBF title at Wembley Stadium.
