History of Anthony Joshua in Timeline

Anthony Joshua is a British professional boxer and two-time former unified world heavyweight champion, holding the titles from 2017-2019 and 2019-2021. He also held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles from 2015 to 2016. Joshua is a prominent figure in the world of boxing.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

2009: Remand in Reading Prison

In 2009, Anthony Joshua was put on remand in Reading Prison for fighting and other offenses. Upon release, he was made to wear an electronic tag.

March 2011: Arrest for possession of cannabis

In March 2011, Joshua was arrested for speeding and found with eight ounces of herbal cannabis in his Mercedes-Benz in Colindale, North London. He was charged with possession with intent to supply a class B drug and sentenced to a 12-month community order and 100 hours' unpaid work.

2012: Did not support a football team

In 2012, Joshua stated that he did not support a football team.

2013: Professional debut with Eddie Hearn

In 2013, Joshua had his professional debut and has been promoted by Eddie Hearn since.

July 2014: Named Top Five Heavyweight Boxers

In July 2014, Joshua named Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Larry Holmes, Lennox Lewis, and Evander Holyfield as his top five greatest heavyweight boxers of all time.

December 2015: Joshua defeats Whyte

In December 2015, Anthony Joshua fought Dillian Whyte.

2015: Fathered a son

In 2015, Anthony Joshua fathered a son named Joseph "JJ" Joshua with dance teacher Nicole Osbourne.

November 2017: Racist comments and social media posts

In November 2017, Anthony Joshua made racist comments and social media posts, including calling Eddie Chambers a "disgrace to the superior black race" on Instagram. Despite his promoter's denial, the message was confirmed to have come from Joshua's verified account.

2017: Supported Real Madrid C.F.

In 2017, Anthony Joshua mentioned that his "overall favourite" team was Real Madrid C.F. because of Cristiano Ronaldo, who was a Real Madrid player at the time.

2017: Ranked as the world's most marketable athlete

In 2017, Anthony Joshua was ranked as the world's most marketable athlete, surpassing basketball player Stephen Curry. This recognition, along with his boxing ability, was attributed to his inspiring "rags to riches" story.

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2017: Pulev Injury

In 2017, Joshua was initially announced to fight Kubrat Pulev, but a late injury to Pulev saw Carlos Takam replace him for the fight.

September 2018: Whyte Claims Joshua Knew About April 2019 Fight

In September 2018, Whyte claimed that Joshua did not want to fight him, as he had known since September 2018, that he would be fighting in April 2019, yet did not make any offers.

September 2018: Joshua vs. Povetkin Announced

In September 2018, it was officially announced that Anthony Joshua would face Alexander Povetkin for the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles on September 22nd at Wembley Stadium. Pundits warned Joshua not to underestimate Povetkin.

December 2018: Dillian Whyte Frontrunner to challenge Joshua

In December 2018, with Joshua's Wembley date still on hold, Eddie Hearn stated that Dillian Whyte was the frontrunner to challenge Joshua, while Whyte heard rumors Joshua would drop the Wembley date to fight Jarrell Miller.

January 2019: Whyte Turns Down Lowball Offer

In January 2019, Dillian Whyte revealed he had turned down a 'severe lowball' offer from Joshua for a rematch, claiming it was lower than what he received against Chisora. Hearn stated Joshua may fight in the US instead. Whyte claimed Joshua didn't want to fight him.

April 2019: Wembley Stadium to host Joshua's Fights

In April 2019, Wembley Stadium in London was scheduled to host Anthony Joshua's next fight on April 13th, but the opponent was yet to be confirmed.

April 2019: Miller Tests Positive for Banned Substance

In April 2019, both camps confirmed that Jarrell Miller tested positive for the banned substance GW1516 from a VADA-conducted urine test on March 20th. Further tests on March 31st proved positive for EPO, HGH and GW1516 again. Many boxers put their names forward to fight Joshua instead.

April 2019: Joshua's Wembley Fight Unlikely

In April 2019, it became highly unlikely that Joshua would fight at Wembley Stadium on April 13th and Whyte claimed the Joshua fight was 'dead'.

June 2019: Joshua Loses to Ruiz

In June 2019, Anthony Joshua fought Andy Ruiz Jr. at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Joshua lost by TKO in the seventh round, losing all four of his heavyweight titles. This upset is considered one of the biggest in boxing history.

December 2019: Joshua Reclaims Titles in Rematch Against Ruiz

In December 2019, Anthony Joshua boxed a disciplined fight and won via unanimous decision against Andy Ruiz Jr. in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, to reclaim the unified heavyweight titles.

March 2020: Joshua vs. Pulev Announced

In March 2020, it was announced that Anthony Joshua would defend his heavyweight titles against Kubrat Pulev at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20th.

April 2020: Joshua-Pulev Fight Postponed

In April 2020, the fight between Joshua and Pulev, initially scheduled for June 20th, was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

June 2020: Accusations of racism for Black Lives Matter speech

In June 2020, Joshua was accused of racism by some social media users following his speech at a Black Lives Matter protest in Watford. He was interpreted as calling to boycott white businesses, he denied the claims and said he was reading the speech on behalf of a friend.

June 2020: Joshua and Fury Agree To Fight

In June 2020, a two-fight deal between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury had been agreed "in principle".

December 2020: Joshua Expresses Interest in Fury Fight

In December 2020, immediately after defeating Kubrat Pulev, Anthony Joshua expressed interest in an undisputed fight with Tyson Fury.

2020: Spoke about positive relationship with Eddie Hearn

In 2020, Joshua spoke about his positive relationship with his longtime promoter Eddie Hearn, saying that "he and Eddie will always have a great friendship."

May 2021: Fury Announces Fight Against Joshua, Wilder Arbitration

In May 2021, Tyson Fury announced the fight between him and Joshua would take place on August 14, but an arbitration judge ruled Deontay Wilder was entitled to a third fight with Fury, putting the Joshua fight in jeopardy.

August 2021: Joshua to fight Usyk

In August 2021, a fight between Joshua and Usyk was announced and scheduled to take place on September 25th.

September 2021: Rematch Clause Activated

In September 2021, a rematch clause between Joshua and Usyk was activated after Usyk defeated Joshua, and Usyk relished the prospect of fighting Joshua twice.

2021: Inclusion in the Powerlist

In 2021, Anthony Joshua was recognized as one of the 100 most influential Black Britons and included in the annual Powerlist.

June 2022: Usyk vs. Joshua Rematch Announced

In June 2022, it was officially announced that Usyk would face Joshua in a rematch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on August 20th.

August 2022: Controversy around world-title challenge in Saudi Arabia

In August 2022, Joshua faced questions regarding the controversy of his world-title challenge taking place in Saudi Arabia, including concerns about the human rights situation in the Kingdom. Calls were made for him to speak out against the oppression.

February 2023: Joshua vs. Franklin Announced

In February 2023, it was announced that Joshua would return to the ring on April 1st against Jermaine Franklin, marking the first fight of his DAZN deal. He also announced his partnership with trainer Derrick James.

July 2023: Whyte vs. Joshua II Announced

In July 2023, Dillian Whyte vs. Anthony Joshua II, a rematch of the December 2015 bout, was announced to be held at The O2 Arena in London.

August 2023: Joshua defeats Helenius

In August 2023, Robert Helenius replaced Whyte after Whyte returned a positive drug test, and Joshua won the bout by knockout in round 7.

October 2023: Joshua could face Wilder in Saudi Arabia

In October 2023, reports stated that Anthony Joshua could potentially face Deontay Wilder on December 23 on the same card alongside Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia.

2023: Joined Alpine racing team investment group

In 2023, Anthony Joshua joined the investment group of the Alpine racing team of Formula One.

March 2024: Joshua knocks out Ngannou

In March 2024, Anthony Joshua faced Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia. He knocked down Ngannou in the first round, and won by second-round knockout.

June 2024: Dubois elevated to full IBF Champion

In June 2024, Daniel Dubois was elevated to full IBF champion after the title was vacated by Oleksandr Usyk. It was also announced that Joshua would be challenging Dubois for the title on September 21.