Anthony Joshua earned £15m from fight – but made £120 payment after | Boxing | Sport

Anthony Joshua’s first payment after earning £15million from his fight against Wladimir Klitschko was a humble £120 laundry bill. Joshua, then 27 years old and still the world heavyweight champion, took on former champion Klitschko in London in April 2017.

But while many would have expected a young and successful athlete like Joshua to spend the money from such a lucrative payday on luxurious purchases, the truth was far more mundane. He actually marked his victory by paying his outstanding bill at a laundrette in Golders Green, north London, near the flat he shared with his mum at the time.

Speaking at the post-fight press-conference, Joshua jokingly said: “I’ve got to pay my debt there, number one. I’ve got a bill like that big (gesturing with his thumb and forefinger on his left hand). Hopefully he’ll swerve it.”

Muqeem Bakhtari, known locally as Max, later said “joker” Joshua had an open tab of around £120 at the laundrette. Bakhtari revealed that Joshua had been a regular at his shop even before winning his Olympic gold medal at London 2012 and that his family often stopped by to pick up his laundry.

Bakhtari said: “He is a joker – no his bill is nothing. He always jokes about it. It sometimes ranges from a fiver to £100. He has no time so he sends in his family members. It’s minimal.

“The tab is always open to him and his family members – they are lovely people.” When asked if the bill was a reported £120, he replied: “Possibly, yes.”

The laundrette owner went on to comment on Joshua’s friendly nature and humility despite being a 6ft6in colossus in the ring. He said: “We have known him since before he was Olympic champion, about seven or eight years, and he is the nicest guy around town. Nothing has changed. For somebody to knock him out will be difficult because he’s got a heart of gold. His stardom comes because of his humbleness.”

Prenga, who goes into the Saudi Arabia fight tonight as the underdog, will be hoping to do just that against the now 36-year-old AJ. Joshua is fighting the 20-1-0 Albanian in a warm-up bout for his highly-anticipated clash with Tyson Fury later this year.