British heavyweight Anthony Joshua believes it would not be a “wise decision” for his son, Joseph Joshua, to pursue a career in professional boxing.

The two-time former unified world heavyweight champion shared his thoughts on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, expressing a preference for his son, known as JJ, to become an accountant instead.

Affectionately called “AJ” by his fans, Joshua discussed his troubled youth, including run-ins with the police for fighting and experiencing homelessness at 17 while living in Watford.

He found boxing at a critical time in his life, initially entering the ring at 18 after his cousin’s suggestion. Five years later, he became a household name by winning gold at the London 2012 Olympics.

Reflecting on the sport, Joshua acknowledged the risks and pressures associated with boxing, despite its role in building his superstardom and financial security.

I don’t think it’s a wise decision for JJ to follow in my footsteps,” he said on Desert Island Discs. He suggested that JJ focus on business and accountancy, emphasizing the importance of understanding numbers and entrepreneurship.

Joshua, who keeps his family out of the spotlight, explained that he wants his son to avoid the immense mental pressure and potential target that comes with being the child of a famous boxer.

“Imagine ‘Anthony Joshua’s son is boxing.’ There would be a target on his back straight away,” he said. “I would not want to put him under that pressure.”

Despite the overwhelming success of his boxing career, which saw him rise to the pinnacle of the heavyweight division, Joshua has faced significant challenges, including a notable low point in 2022 when he failed to recapture the unified WBO, WBA, and IBF heavyweight titles from Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk. Reflecting on his defeats, Joshua admitted that they took a toll on him, recounting a time he isolated himself for five days to mentally heal.

While sons of other famous boxers, such as Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr., have followed their fathers into the ring, Joshua is determined to guide JJ toward a different path, focusing on his son’s mental well-being and future outside of boxing.

British heavyweight Anthony Joshua says it would not be a “wise decision” for his son to follow in his footsteps and become a professional boxer.

The two-time former unified world heavyweight champion told BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs he would much prefer if his son, Joseph Joshua, known as JJ, became an accountant instead, though he added that he wanted him to carve out his own future.

He has previously said he did not envisage a boxing life for his “little JJ”, wanting his son to be the “best man that he can be” instead.

Speaking to Desert Island Discs, Joshua revealed that his views about his son’s future had not changed. He said he would tell JJ to “do the best you can do”, when advising him about what he wanted to be when he was older.

“If I was to choose (a career) for him, I would ask him to probably look at accountancy because I think it’s good to understand numbers,” he said.

Reflecting on his own career, Joshua mentioned how boxing helped him channel his energy during difficult times in his youth. He got into trouble with the police for fighting as a teenager and was homeless at 17. Boxing became a turning point for him when he entered the ring at 18

Joshua’s career took off when he won gold at the London 2012 Olympics, and he turned professional a year later. His victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 was a defining moment, cementing his status as a top heavyweight.

Joshua won all of his first 22 professional bouts, 21 of them inside the distance, to establish himself as the most renowned knockout artist of his generation.

But the low point in the boxer’s career came in 2022, when he failed to recapture the unified WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles from his nemesis, Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia.

As he tried to come to terms with the loss, Joshua at first denied it had a profound effect on him but at a post-fight press conference, Joshua was apologetic, choked back tears and held his head in his hands, saying the defeat tore him apart.

Speaking to Desert Island Discs, he said he went into a “dark room” for five days where he could not talk to anyone in order to heal from the inside mentally

Anthony Joshua is once again a man in demand after putting together a string of impressive performances, but one current champion ‘isn’t interested’ in fighting the Brit and is focusing on the Fury-Usyk rematch winner.

Joshua is expected to headline a September card at Wembley Stadium with an opponent due to be announced within the next week.

Current WBA Regular heavyweight champion, Mahmoud Charr, has ruled out facing the former two-time titlist and is instead planning to use his mandatory position to face the Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury rematch winner.

Speaking to “Through The Ropes” whilst out in Saudi Arabia for the undisputed fight, Charr said he’s only focused on fighting the best.

“Fury and Usyk are two warriors. I will be the mandatory for the winner. The winner is my focus, every fighter has one dream – to fight the best, so I hope that I fight the winner.

I’m not interested in Joshua because I’m the world champion and I’m looking for the best, so Usyk or Fury.”

Charr has been out of the ring for over eighteen months after a series of scheduled fights fell through and was only reinstated as the regular champion after a lengthy legal dispute with the governing body.

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn is ‘100% focused’ on ‘AJ’ facing former WBA Regular champion, Daniel Dubois. Dubois is the current IBF interim champion after beating previously number one ranked heavyweight, Filip Hrgovic.

There is a chance Joshua-Dubois will be for the full IBF title if the body decide to strip Usyk for not fulfilling his mandatory duties due to the contracted rematch with Fury.

Anthony Joshua underwent a gruesome-looking cupping therapy session after a gruelling week of training.

The pseudoscience treatment creates a local suction on the skin with the application of heated cups.

Practitioners claim it can treat lower back pain, poor appetite and anaemia but it also used by several athletes as a recovery tool for muscular fatigue.

Pools of blood form in the cups as fluid is drawn from the area, leaving swollen red marks.

The treatment is said to be painless if carried out correctly although fans were left wincing at a video of Joshua undergoing the procedure.

Taking to the comment section under Joshua’s post on X, captioned ‘Plant with success’, One fan wrote: “This should be painful.”

Another tweeted: “Huh bro I’m eating.”

A third posted: “This just made me itch!”

Somebody else added: “My goodness that must be painful!”

Meanwhile, a fifth supporter remarked: “This is creeping me out…What are those?”

Joshua’s next fight is expected to be announced on Wednesday at a launch press conference for the upcoming September 21 Riyadh Season card at Wembley Stadium.

AJ is set to headline the bill with Daniel Dubois being the frontrunner to share the ring with him this summer.

Joshua recently took to social media to confirm that negotiations for his next fight ‘are nearly finished’ while he will be hoping the fight is for the IBF world title.

Oleksandr Usyk currently holds the belt and is expected to be stripped of the title as he is unable to answer the IBF’s mandatory order due to his contracted rematch with Tyson Fury.

However, the Ukrainian slickster has filed an exception to try and keep hold of the strap for his second fight with Fury on December 21.

The IBF are still yet to cast their final verdict at the time of writing but if they reject Usyk’s plea then the belt should be placed on the line between interim champion Dubois and No.3 ranked Joshua.

Joshua last fought in March when he knocked out MMA fighter Francis NgannouThe Watford-born heavyweight will return to the ring again later this year His opponent will officially be named this week ahead of a Wembley showdown 

Anthony Joshua‘s next opponent will be announced on Wednesday.

Joshua last fought in March when he brutally knocked out Francis Ngannou in the second round of their showdown in Saudi Arabia.

The 34-year-old in April revealed how his next fight could take place on September 20 or 21 at Wembley Stadium in London.

He was in fact right and will mark his return to the ring on September 21 at the iconic home of the England national football team.

Joshua will face fellow Brit Daniel Dubois as he seeks to continue his rise back to the top following back-to-back defeats against Oleksandr Usyk.

Dubois stopped Filip Hrgovic in the eighth round earlier this month as he won the interim IBF heavyweight belt in Riyadh.

The belt Joshua and Dubois battle for depends on if the IBF decides to strip Usyk of the title. If that happens, the two British heavyweights will battle it out for a world title.

The confirmation of the fight will come after Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn revealed his intention to set it up.

Hearn recently said : ‘We’re focused on fighting Dubois for the world title at Wembley but it is not all agreed.

‘There’s still work to be done by 100 per cent myself, His Excellency, George Warren, Spencer Brown, we’re all working together to make it happen.’

Joshua is on a four-fight winning streak having previously been a two-time world champion.

The Watford-born fighter has rebuilt his career by beating Jermaine Franklin Jnr, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Ngannou after consecutive defeats against Usyk.

Meanwhile, Dubois is on the comeback trail with two straight wins after he was defeated by Usyk as well.

Anthony Joshua is expected to formally announce his next fight just about any day now, and while there’s been plenty of speculation as to who his opponent might be, Joseph Parker tells Sky Sports that he would love to get the call as he believes he’s earned that right.

“There’s a lot of people that want to fight Anthony Joshua. I feel like with what I’ve done I can be in a position to fight him,” he said. “To be honest, it’s not really about what I want and what he wants. It’s what everyone else wants and a lot of fights are happening in Saudi Arabia.”

Parker would continue on by saying if a major world title should become available due to the mandated rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, he also feels like he could be in line for that shot as well.

If that proves to be the case Parker is in a pretty good position to earn a significant payday or at least some hardware — or perhaps both. Whatever proves to be the case, Parker insists he’s ready for what’s next.

ANTHONY JOSHUA revealed he is closing in on his next fight as he prepares for a Wembley return.

AJ is due to be back in front of the 90,000-seat stadium in September following three fights in Saudi Arabia.

Instead, Saudi’s boxing chief Turki Alalshikh is making his first splash in the British market by promoting Joshua’s homecoming bout.

An announcement looks to be on the way as Joshua posted: “Nearly finished my negotiations for my next fight! Feeling motivated.”

Joshua has twice sold out Wembley for his world title wins over Wladimir Klitschko and Alexander Povetkin.

He also beat Carlos Takam and Joseph Parker at the 75,000-seat Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

His most recent bouts in the UK have been back at the O2, with wins over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius.

They followed on from double defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, 37, who has since beaten Tyson Fury, 35, to become undisputed champion.

And with the pair due to rematch back in Riyadh on December 21, AJ was forced to look elsewhere for an opponent.

Deontay Wilder was in the mix but twice fluffed his lines following defeats to Parker, 32, and Zhilei Zhang, 41.