Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua recently relocated from his mother’s north London flat to a new mansion.With nearly £100 million in the bank, the 2012 Olympic champion explained that he moved out to ensure his mother Yeta’s well-being.
“I didn’t want to leave my mom alone,” he shared on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. “I wanted to make sure that her foundations were strong—the nest was strong—so that when I leave, mom’s good. For me, that’s freedom. Knowing no matter where I am in the world, mom’s happy and taken care of.”
The British-Nigerian fighter is scheduled to face fellow Brit Daniel Dubois on September 21 at Wembley Stadium in London for the IBF belt. This bout follows current titleholder Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate the world title.
Usyk made history by becoming the first heavyweight to hold the IBF, WBO, WBA, and WBC belts after defeating Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia last month. However, he faced potential stripping of the IBF title unless he took on its mandatory challenger, Dubois.
Dubois, who secured the interim IBF champion title in June by defeating Filip Hrgovic, expressed determination to defeat the two-time world champion Joshua. “That’s just what I’m aiming for—to be the best,” Dubois stated. “To fight the best and beat the best. Joshua has been the king for a long time. On the night, I need to become the king slayer. That’s my goal, and that’s the mission I have. I’m ready to let my fists do the talking. A hundred percent ready to go, train like a beast. So bring it on.”
Joshua, 34, faced defeats by Usyk in 2021 and 2022, while Usyk knocked out Dubois last year. However, Joshua is currently on a four-fight winning streak with three stoppages in his last three outings. This will mark his fourth appearance at Wembley, whereas Dubois will be making his main event debut at the national stadium.
“Congratulations to Daniel for winning his last fight against Hrgovic; I went to watch it live,” Joshua praised. “It was a good fight between the two of them. I picked Dubois to win as well; I watch boxing closely, and I picked him before. He came through, and here we are. Dubois has been on my mind for a while. He’ll be on my mind for the next 12 weeks until I’ve got my hand raised.”
