Anthony Joshua's Real Name: Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua

Quick answer: Anthony Joshua's full name is Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua. He was born on October 15, 1989, in Watford, England. He won Olympic super-heavyweight gold at London 2012 and has twice been a world heavyweight champion. A bout with Tyson Fury is scheduled for December 11, 2026, in Cardiff (Library of Congress; BBC Sport).

Real name and early life

The Library of Congress name authority files him as "Joshua, Anthony, 1989-." Its citation reads "Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua MBE (born 15 October 1989) is a British professional boxer." Oluwafemi and Olaseni are Yoruba names that reflect his Nigerian heritage.

BBC Newsround says he was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, to a Nigerian mother and a British father. He was a strong footballer and sprinter and set his school's Year Nine 100m record of 11.6 seconds. He took up boxing seriously at 18 at a local club, Finchley ABC, and won all 18 of his amateur bouts in his early 20s. After turning professional, he paid for new equipment for the club. "This is where I started," he said.

Career highlights

At the London 2012 Olympics, the 22-year-old Joshua won super-heavyweight gold in a dramatic final against defending champion Roberto Cammarelle of Italy. The BBC reported that he trailed going into the last round, rallied, and won on countback after an 18-18 score. Italy's appeal failed.

He turned professional in July 2013. According to Newsround, he won the IBF heavyweight title in April 2016, added the WBA belt by beating Wladimir Klitschko on April 29, 2017, and took the WBO title against Joseph Parker in Cardiff on March 31, 2018. Britannica records that he later lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk, by decision and then split decision.

On December 20, 2025, he stopped Jake Paul in the sixth round in Miami, the 29th win of his 33 professional fights, the BBC reported. Later that December he survived a car crash in Nigeria that killed his close friends Sina Ghami and Latif "Latz" Ayodele. In his comeback in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in July 2026, he was knocked down twice in the first round before stopping Kristian Prenga in the second. Afterward he dedicated the win to his late friends. At a London news conference, he and Fury confirmed their long-awaited fight for December 11, 2026, at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.

Name notes for searchers

He fights as Anthony Joshua and is widely known by the initials "AJ." His Yoruba middle names, Oluwafemi and Olaseni, rarely appear in fight billing. The MBE in his library record is a British honor, not part of his name.