Anthony Joshua has spent more than a decade controlling the narrative inside the ring. Outside of it, that control has been harder to maintain.
Now 36, the former heavyweight champion remains one of Britain’s most recognizable sporting figures, his name carrying weight well beyond boxing. Ahead of his high-profile bout with Jake Paul in Miami, attention has again drifted toward his personal life—something Joshua has consistently tried to keep out of view.
Joshua’s rise is well documented. Olympic gold in London in 2012. World titles across the WBA, IBF, and WBO. Wins over Wladimir Klitschko and Joseph Parker. The résumé is clean and deliberate. The man himself, by design, has been harder to read.
He has never married, and little is publicly known about his relationships. What is known is that he is a father to a son, Joseph “JJ” Joshua, whose mother is Nicole Osbourne, a former dancer who now works as a yoga instructor. Beyond that, Joshua has largely avoided public discussion of his private life.
That changed briefly—and noisily—when fellow boxer Amir Khan accused Joshua of having an affair with Khan’s wife, Faryal Makhdoom. The allegation surfaced on social media and detonated instantly. Joshua denied it outright and has never wavered from that position.
The episode later unraveled under its own weight. Khan has since admitted the accusation was misplaced, describing the period as chaotic and deeply personal. Speaking years later, he acknowledged that Joshua had done nothing wrong and that the fallout cost him a friendship he regrets losing.
Joshua, for his part, said little then and has said nothing since.
Over the years, he has been loosely linked to a handful of high-profile women. In 2017, speculation swirled around Bella Hadid during one of her on-off stretches with The Weeknd. In 2018, rumors connected him to broadcaster Vick Hope, though no relationship was confirmed; Hope later married Calvin Harris in 2023.
More recently, Joshua has been associated with Moroccan model and influencer Samia Slimani after photos from a trip to Morocco circulated online. As with previous reports, neither party has publicly addressed the claims.
The pattern is familiar. Joshua appears, rumors follow, and then the noise fades. He does not clarify. He does not escalate. He moves on.
In an era when athletes monetize visibility and overshare as strategy, Joshua remains an outlier—famous, scrutinized, and largely silent. His record, public and private, suggests intention rather than accident. The less said, the less to undo.
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Last modified: December 20, 2025
