Former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has spoken about his childhood

Former boxing heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has revealed he goes by a different name on the Watford estate where he grew up.

Joshua is a two-time WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight world champion but lost his belts to Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk back in 2020.

The British former Olympic champion last fought back in August when he managed to get the better of Robert Helenius via a knockout in round seven.

In a recent appearance in a BBC documentary with Louis Theroux, Joshua spoke about the estate in Watford where he grew up and revealed he goes by a different name.

The 34-year-old said that the names Anthony Joshua, AJ or Joshua only became popular once he started boxing.

Joshua said: “All of a sudden it’s like ‘this is Anthony Joshua’, but everyone here knows me as ‘Femi’.

“Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua is my full name. But everyone called me ‘Femi’.”

Joshua’s aunty then said: “Femi is my nephew, my son. For people in the world, it’s Anthony the boxer. Femi comes first.”

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When asked for a look at his hands by Theroux, Joshua revealed he had a massive fight with six guys in the street.

He said: “I’m not a troublesome person, I’ll be honest with you – far from troublesome – but I used to get in fights, and my skin hasn’t healed too well.

“So, this knuckle… I was going to get chicken one evening, and I ended up fighting six guys on my own. And that was just like massive – really good scrap. And I think this [one] is from the same time.”

After being quizzed on whether he has ever put anyone in hospital, Joshua joked: “No, no, no, no. In a coffin. No, I’m joking!”

Since his victory against Helenius, Joshua has been linked with fighting long-term rival Deontay Wilder.

However, a fight is yet to be agreed upon as the speculation refuses to go away.