Win or lose on Saturday night, there’s no chance of Anthony Joshua forgetting where he came from.
Arguably the most marketable British heavyweight boxer of all time, ‘AJ’ does not take his current fame and fortune for granted and he continues to look after those who set him off on the path to superstardom.
The biggest fight of Joshua’s young career to date takes place in Wembley on Saturday night, when the undefeated Brit meets one of the greatest heavyweights of all time in Wladimir Klitschko.
While a match-up with the Ukrainian is a daunting task for anyone walking the planet, Joshua has continued to joke and smile in the downtime away from a gruelling fight camp.
He’s ready to take the next step, that much is clear.
But don’t think for a second that he’s too big a star to return to his roots.
In February, the 27-year-old returned to the gym where he first wrapped his knuckles as a visit to Finchley ABC saw him reunited with his first boxing coach, Shaun Murphy.
As the pair exchanged stories of Joshua’s early days as an amateur from the ring apron, Murphy had no idea what was in store for him.
After catching up, Joshua brought his mentor outside and presented him with a €110,000 BMW.
“That’s your motor! That’s for you. There’s a little contract on it that you can’t sell it in six weeks,” Joshua joked.
And after showing Murphy how to start the car in the same way that Joshua was taught how to throw his first jab, ‘AJ’ had some wonderful words for those who have helped him along the way.
“When it’s all said and done, I’ll never forget who’s been there when no one was,” he added.
“Don’t worry about anything. This is just something off my own chest. There’ll be a lot more to come. Don’t worry about that!”
