Natural Born Winner

As the biggest draw in heavyweight boxing, Anthony Joshua’s talent has seen him reach the top of his sport. Later this month, he will face his sternest test yet when he squares up to wladimir klitschko. But his toughest opponent remains the one he challenges every single day: himself.

- James Miller

It’s 7pm on an autumnal Monday evening and the IBF heavyweight champion of the world is training next to a middle-aged woman doing something largely ineffectual with pink kettlebells. Anthony Joshua looks almost comically out of place in the quotidian normality of this London health club. But then, at 198cm tall and a lean 108kg, the 27-year old is strikingly at odds with most settings. And that includes being in the ring, against hapless opponents.

Right now, Joshua is just warming up. He foam-rolls then planks and bridges – the latter with his head on a Swiss ball to strengthen his core and neck. Then he heads to the pneumatic Keiser cable machine, an esoteric piece of kit that provides resistance via air pressure rather than iron plates, facilitating high-speed, low-impact training. Joshua starts with slow rear delt flies and external rotations to shore up his shoulders.

“I’m guessing you was expecting some spit and sawdust gym?” he grins, reading MH’s mind. Well, yes. You know, chalk-coated barbells and Phenomenal by Eminem on repeat, just like in Southpaw . . . Joshua guffaws, as Mr Vain by Culture Beat pumps out of the speakers for the second time this session. “Don’t worry, it’s gonna get fun in a minute.”

BIG INFLUENCER