Joshua doesn't want son to take up boxing

British heavyweight Anthony Joshua says it would not beryllium a "wise decision" for his boy to travel successful his footsteps and go a master boxer.

The two-time erstwhile unified world heavyweight champion told BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs he would overmuch for illustration if his boy Joseph Joshua, known arsenic JJ, became an accountant instead, though he added that he wanted him to carve retired his ain future.

Joshua besides said to big Lauren Laverne astir really he sewage into problem pinch nan constabulary for fighting erstwhile he was a teen surviving successful Watford and really he became bum aged 17.

Reflecting connected his profession successful boxing, Joshua said he recovered nan athletics astatine a clip he needed it most.

He told Desert Island Discs: "I’d usually beryllium extracurricular nan property and conscionable person a cigarette. Then I started getting successful trouble... I conscionable wanted to make money, that was my goal," he told nan programme.

“I was perpetually getting successful trouble."

Joshua first entered nan ringing aged 18 erstwhile his relative suggested he return up nan sport, which he said became adjuvant to "channel my energy".

Five years later, Joshua became a family sanction erstwhile he picked up golden astatine nan London 2012 Olympics.

A twelvemonth later, Joshua decided to move pro - nan breakout infinitesimal for him coming astatine property 27, erstwhile he met nan Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko successful April 2017.

In a sold retired Wembley Stadium, roared connected by a crowd of 90,000, AJ - arsenic he is known to his fans - floored nan 41-year aged two-time world champion successful nan 11th information successful 1 of nan astir gruelling but entertaining heavyweight contests.

Later, he said nan triumph complete Klitschko changed his career.

A knockout creator – AJ has fought 22 master bouts without conclusion and won 21 of them, rising for illustration a stone prima complete nan pursuing decade.

But nan debased constituent successful nan boxer’s profession came successful 2022, erstwhile he grounded to recapture nan unified WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles from his nemesis, Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk successful Saudi Arabia.

As he tried to travel to position pinch nan loss, Joshua astatine first denied it had a profound effect connected him.

“I don’t consciousness anything,” he had said aft Usyk defeated him successful a spectacular rematch, earlier throwing 2 title belts from nan ring.

But astatine a post-fight property conference, Joshua was apologetic, choked backmost tears and held his caput successful his hands, saying nan conclusion “tore him apart”.

Speaking to Desert Island Discs, he said he has surgery down complete losing - adding that 1 clip he went into a "dark room" for 5 days wherever he could not talk to anyone successful bid to "heal from nan wrong mentally".

Joshua said it was astir this clip that he realised he needed to person "more meaningful conversations" pinch his family.

Beyond nan world of boxing, AJ is known to beryllium a fiercely backstage man for whom loyalty to family is of paramount importance.

He grew up arsenic 1 of 7 children surviving betwixt his mum's location and his dad's place.

In various interviews he said fondly astir his mother Yeta Odusanya, and his son, JJ.

Soon aft his profession took off, he bought a spot for his mum to unrecorded in.

“When you measurement up arsenic a man successful nan house, state is making judge your parents are taken attraction of arsenic well," he told nan BBC.

"For me, that’s state knowing that nary matter wherever I americium successful nan world, my mum’s happy, she’s taken attraction of."

Joshua says he has "always kept boxing out" distant from his family, adding that he is simply a begetter and boy first.

Would he for illustration his boy to participate nan ring?

He has antecedently said he did not envisage that life for his "little JJ", wanting his boy to beryllium nan "best man that he tin be" instead.

Speaking to Desert Island Discs, Joshua revealed that his views astir his son’s early had not changed. He said he would show JJ to "do nan champion you tin do", erstwhile advising him astir what he wanted to beryllium erstwhile he was older.

"If I was to take [a career] for him, I would inquire him to astir apt look astatine accountancy because I deliberation it’s bully to understand numbers," he said.

But what astir his ain future? Does he scheme to retire?

There are nary plans for status yet, but he said that erstwhile he yet leaves nan athletics he would for illustration to commencement a attraction location for retired boxers pinch mediocre health.

“That would beryllium portion of my boxing legacy, that I gave thing backmost to nan athletics that made me," he said.

"I cognize I’m not going to beryllium successful nan hot-seat for each my life, truthful I person to make smart decisions while nan iron’s hot.”

Desert Island Discs was recorded connected Friday 12 April 2024.