British heavyweight Anthony Joshua has expressed his belief that it would not be a wise choice for his son to follow in his footsteps and pursue a career as a professional boxer.
During an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, the two-time former unified world heavyweight champion shared that he would much rather see his son, Joseph Joshua, known as JJ, become an accountant instead. Joshua emphasized that he values the idea of JJ forging his own path in life.
Joshua has previously stated that he did not envision a boxing career for his son, wanting him to strive to be the best person he can be. In his recent conversation on Desert Island Discs, Joshua reiterated his stance on his son’s future. He expressed that he would advise JJ to pursue excellence in whatever he chooses to do.
“If I were to suggest a profession for him, I would probably encourage him to explore accountancy because I believe understanding numbers is valuable,” Joshua remarked.
Reflecting on his own journey, Joshua highlighted how boxing provided him with a positive outlet for his energy during challenging times in his youth. He recalled facing issues with the law due to fights as a teenager and experiencing homelessness at the age of 17. Boxing marked a pivotal moment for him when he stepped into the ring at 18.
Joshua’s career soared after claiming a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and transitioning to professional boxing a year later. His triumph against Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 solidified his position as a premier heavyweight.
The British boxer achieved 22 consecutive victories in his initial professional matches, with 21 of them ending by knockout, establishing him as a preeminent knockout artist of his era.
However, Joshua faced a significant setback in 2022 when he was unable to regain the unified WBO, WBA, and IBF heavyweight titles from his rival, Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine, in Saudi Arabia.
In the aftermath of the defeat, Joshua initially downplayed its impact on him. Yet, during a post-fight press conference, he expressed remorse, fought back tears, and emotionally shared how the loss had deeply affected him.
In his conversation on Desert Island Discs, Joshua disclosed that he secluded himself in a “dark room” for five days, where he refrained from interacting with anyone as part of his mental healing process.
