Anthony Joshua has been making headlines for his fight with Jake Paul. As fans cheer for the British boxer, did you know his career became the reason for his breakup with his baby mama, Nicole?
Anthony Joshua, born Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua, is a former two-time heavyweight champion, having held the unified world heavyweight championship twice between 2017 and 2019, and again between 2019 and 2021. The proclaimed British boxer also represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics and won the gold medal for his country. In 2014, a year after turning professional, he was named 'Prospect of the Year' by The Ring magazine.
Anthony Joshua's career has since been marked by several major victories, earning him a spot in the global boxing championship, and he has recently been making headlines for his intense fight with the American boxer, Jake Paul. However, while his professional life has been written in gold and controversies, his personal life has often suffered, as the boxer himself admits, he has not been able to balance them both. So, as the world celebrates his accomplishments in the ring, let us take a look at his life beyond boxing and introduce you to AJ's baby mama, Nicole Osbourne.
While there is no one louder than Anthony Joshua inside the ring, the boxer has been extremely quiet about his personal life. According to reports, the British boxer likes to keep his personal life away from the limelight. However, he has been linked with several faces over the years. While most of them remain unofficial, the boxer has officially confirmed one relationship in the past. Yes, we are talking about his romance with dancer and yoga instructor, Nicole Osbourne.
However, over the years, there have been several speculations about who Nicole Osbourne really is. According to reports, Anthony Joshua met Nicole in high school and has had an on-and-off relationship with her for a while. The couple also welcomed a son, Joseph, in 2015. However, soon after they parted ways, they maintained a cordial relationship and a solid friendship as they co-parented their son.
While both Anthony Joshua and Nicole Osbourne have kept the reason behind their breakup under wraps, many believe it might be due to their different priorities at the time. AJ and Nicole both have affirmed that their split was amicable. However, they have not directly commented on the matter; several sources have cited that Anthony wanted to spend more time on his boxing career than outside of the ring and found it difficult to balance home and work life.
While Nicole Osbourne is no longer with Anthony Joshua, they have maintained a well-balanced sync to raise their child, Joseph. Nicole likely takes care of their son, Joseph, whilst Joshua is in training camp or has to focus on his boxing in the lead-up to a big fight. However, AJ has also spoken about being a dad and stated:
"I started off as super-dad, and then that slowly went out the window, and to be honest, he’s watching way too much TV now."
After his breakup with Nicole Osbourne, Anthony Joshua hasn't been in any public relationship. However, he is often linked to several big names, including the very gorgeous, Bella Hadid. The rumours surrounding AJ and Bella started in 2017. However, nothing was ever officially confirmed. Later that year, Anthony was also rumored to have been linked with TV personality, Faryal Makhdoom, although the extent of the relationship between the two is unclear.
In 2018, that is a year after he was linked to Bella Hadid, the British boxer once again made headlines for his rumoured romance with radio presenter, Vick Hope. However, as with his past relationships, the boxer remained tight-lipped, not speaking much about these rumours. Although often speculated in media reports, the heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, has kept his romantic life close to his chest and has never publicly confirmed any of the above.
Anthony Joshua also made headlines for his love life, after he was photographed with several women, including model, Samia Slimani, in Morocco during a 2024 trip. However, like the previous several times, the boxer has repeatedly claimed he is single when discussing his career and has kept details of his private life out of the press.
So, is Anthony Joshua really single? It is a question that has often been brought up, since the boxer has not publicly confirmed any relationship since his breakup with Nicole Osbourne almost a decade ago. But! Does that mean he is on the hunt for a new lady friend? Not necessarily. AJ sat down for an interview in 2024 and admitted that he still finds it difficult to juggle his personal life and boxing life when he is in camp.
Hence, while his record continues to improve, further cementing his legacy as a British heavyweight great, we are nowhere close to getting a romantic tale from him. The British boxing star remains sceptical as to whether he will have a girlfriend anytime soon, since boxing still remains his one true love. He added:
"Not everyone likes the decisions I make, but I've got to make my own decisions. The decisions I make impact others. And my time training means there is not much time for girlfriends either."
What are your thoughts on Anthony Joshua's relationship history?
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