Heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua, who is now being interviewed by documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux on ITV, has narrowly avoided incarceration and has battled to find ‘the one’.

Documentarian Louis Theroux will face Anthony Joshua tonight on ITV. Fans of the heavyweight fighter will want a ringside seat to see if broadcaster Louis can truly get under this interviewee’s skin and discover what makes him tick.

Anthony meets with Louis at his first gym in Finchley, north London, where his career began, and spends time with him on the Watford estate where he grew up, reflecting on his journey thus far, from his stratospheric rise in the world of boxing to more recent humbling setbacks. Ahead of tonight’s program, we take a look at Anthony’s life without the boxing gloves, from his humble beginnings to buying snazzy vehicles for pals and the true loves of his life.

Teenage sweetheart, ex

As far as the world knows, Anthony has only had one major love: dancer Nicole Osbourne. Nicole, a pole dance teacher, had an on-off relationship with the footballer since meeting at Kings Langley School in Watford. They gave birth to their son Joseph ‘JJ’ Joshua in 2015.

New love interests.

The 34-year-old, known as AJ, has been linked to a number of renowned ladies, including Cara Delavigne and Bella Hadid.The singer is thought to be unmarried, but has been linked to ITV sports reporter Laura Woods. Tongues were wagging when she interviewed AJ on TalkSport in April.The duo exchanged flirtatious banter, with the boxer even telling the 36-year-old blonde beauty that he had been ‘kept tabs’ on her profession.

Laura Woods & Anthony Joshua.

“I think it’s blossomed amazingly… just like you”, he said cheekily, when asked his thoughts on her career, before revealing she’d be his ‘dream date’. Sadly for AJ, Laura has recently confirmed she is dating Love Island star Adam Collard. Anthony appears to remain footloose and fancy free as he struggles to compromise his career and love.

Parenting

Anthony Joshua on holiday with his son JJ

AJ is a passionate father to his son JJ, born in October 2015. During his appearance on the Jonathan Ross show last year, Anthony revealed, “I want to have loads [of children].” “Someone said to me, which makes sense, when you’re young, you don’t want to have kids, but when you’re older and settled down and retired, you wish that you had more kids around you, so I’m just looking ahead – loads for me is probably another six.”

Upbringing and family

Family man – Anthony with the Joshuas including dad Robert and son JJ in Nigeria. Anthony Joshua’ with his dad and son.

Anthony was born in Watford, Herfortshire to a Nigerian mother Yeta and dad, Robert who is of Nigerian and Irish ancestry. He says: “I grew up in Meriden, Watford a small knit community Mum wanted her independence so we moved to London – I was commuting between London and Watford a lot of the time.”

Mother son bond

Anthony Joshua with his mother Yeta Odusanya. Joshua’s mum with his young son Joseph.

AJ often posts tributes to his mum’s social worker Yeta on social media. As he sought boxing glory, he lived with his mum in a two-bedroom ex-council estate in Golders Green, North London. The boxer bought the property for his mum for £175,000 after his Olympic heroics in 2013 and moved back in for a time.

Prison mistake

Anthony Joshua is now a role model to young people. Here he is pictured presenting the Pride of Britain Prince’s Trust award to Tskenya-Sarah Frazer.

AJ is now a role model to many who hope to turn their life around. He had a troubled youth with several brushes with the law, including finding himself on remand in Reading prison for “‘fighting and other crazy stuff.”

Bricklaying before boxing

Back in 2016 when a fan asked Anthony what he would do if he was not a bricklayer he responded: ” Probably a bricklayer. ” And that’s because he has had the practice. After he left school he worked on various construction sites as a bricklayer and struggled to make ends meet living with his mum. He has had a string of other jobs on his CV including security guard before he went to college and also worked at Brent Cross shopping centre near his North London home and airline jobs.

Pride of Nigeria

Anthony Joshua went to the Palace to see Nigerian monarch Akarigbo of Remo in Sagamu, Nigeria.

The champion, who enters the ring proudly clutching a Nigerian flag, believes the “Nigerian fighting spirit” is the hidden weapon that makes him such a fearsome opponent. “Inner strength?” Yes, that comes from the heart.And we Nigerians know all about it,” AJ earlier stated. “We do not remain down. We get up and fight. It guarantees speed, technique, punch quality, and reach. What about the real fight? “It is myself.” AJ is a frequent traveler to Nigeria, and he is just as popular there as he is here.

Grateful and generous to old friends

Sean further revealed that AJ frequently gives him and prior coaches to free trips to wherever he is fighting. He recalls how AJ “came into the gym and asked, ‘Are you coming to New York? I’ve figured everything out; you’ll come out three days before and three days after the fight and take it as a vacation,” he says.

“He’s sorted out me, my wife and the other coaches at my gym.” He also notably presented Sean with a £95,000 BMW in 2017. Joshua earlier discussed his relationship with Sean: “It was at my first boxing club where I learned discipline,” he stated. “How to put your ego aside and listen to directions if you want to accomplish things. Sean would shout, ‘Shut up, go on the bags, and stop talking.’ He told me to remain focused. These men will always have their door open for me, regardless of what. I will never forget who was there when no one else was.