He’s on track to be the finest boxer in the world, but he was once a small boy, as these touching photos illustrate.

Even as a newborn, Anthony Joshua’s family book photos show him with his fists raised.

On Saturday night, he will meet Russian heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko in the biggest bout of his career.

Anthony as a child was always smiling.

A victory would catapult the already incredibly successful Olympic gold medalist into sporting fame.

But he wasn’t always a fighting machine in the peak of physical condition – although he always had the same warm smile as these pictures show.

Though the 27-year-old heavyweight fighter may stand 6ft 6in tall with size 16 feet to his mum Yeta Odusanya he is still the little boy she has cared for since birth.

Anthony, Josh to his family and fans, has already secured a place in the boxing hall of fame and has proved himself a worthy successor to former world champion Lennox Lewis who also won super-heavyweight gold.

Friends with the fighter in a picture taken when Anthony was about six at Lea Farm Junior School, in Watford.

It’s been a remarkable rise for the boy from Watford who until 2008 had never stepped foot in a boxing gym.

But despite his awesome punching power to his mum he is still the fresh faced schoolboy who excelled at school sports.

Joshua aged four

As she chose some of her favourite pictures of her son for The Daily Mirror mum Yeta said “As a kid he was a very quiet boy and even today I see him as being very gentle.

“He has always been able to dedicate himself to whatever he wanted.

The heavyweight aged about 15 at a party.

“When he decides he wants to do something he will give 110 per cent whatever it is.

“As a boy he was always good at sport and particularly good at athletics and football.”

Anthony Joshua the heavyweight boxer poses for a portrait at the Matchroom gym in Brentwood.

Speaking in 2012 when like the rest of the country she had been following the Games on onTV, she said: “All the Olympic athletes are winners in my eyes no matter whether they win or lose.

“I am so proud of him. I am proud of both my children. For Josh to become an Olympian champion is an incredible achievement.

With his beloved mum Yeta this week.

“I am very proud of what he has achieved but I still say to myself “why boxing?”.

“I have seen Anthony fight on television before but I had never seen him fight in the flesh before the Olympics.

Josh aged eight in school uniform.

“When he fought in the World Amateur Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, it was very nerve-racking and I kept covering my eyes with a towel, I was caught between wanting to watch and not wanting to see him get hurt.

“I was in the corner of the room trembling and nervous.”

For the London Olympics Yeta made an exception to her rule of not watching at ringside and travelled to the ExCeL Arena from her home in Finchley to watch her son fight.

Anthony Joshua of Great Britain (L) in action with Erislandy Savon Cotilla of Cuba during the Men’s Super Heavy (+91kg) Boxing on Day 5 of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

She said: “I went to see him fight Cuban Erislandy Savon for a place in the quarter-finals and it was a very emotional experience to see him live for the first time.

“I don’t really like watching him, I find it hard to see him hit other people and also to be hit.

“I think any mother would agree that they don’t want to see their child hurt.

“I was there on Sunday night though to watch him take on the biggest fight of his life and he made me prouder than ever.”