Anthony Joshua's Travel List

The last time two-time unified heavyweight champion of the world Anthony Joshua visited Saudi, he lost his rematch with Oleksandr Usek.

Fortunately, that hasn’t put him off the Kingdom.

The British-born boxer is in talks to return, but at the moment he is training in Dallas, Texas ahead of his next fight. He took time out of his camp to share his travel memories with us.

I’m not training, I like a destination where the weather is always spot on, the food is good, and I can unwind. I like the Middle East a lot, but I would find it really difficult to pinpoint one overall.

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Both Jeddah and Riyadh have been very good to me. I think the lasting memories will always be the people I have met along the way and the hospitality I have been shown. I love learning about new cultures and I feel like the Kingdom has welcomed me with open arms. I have been lucky to visit some historic sites in both Jeddah and Riyadh and those memories will stay with me forever. I have been so blessed to be able to travel to some wonderful places in my career.

One thing I noticed straight away about Saudi was the passion of its people for sport. From boxing to football, people really engage with it and want to get involved. They are also very knowledgeable and hungry to find out more. The engagement with boxing especially has grown so much since my first visit.

I think anyone coming here should do their best to really immerse themselves in the culture. They should also take in as many historic sites as possible. When I was fighting there in 2019, I was shown around the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Diriyah. The history is amazing. Being in the sea in Jeddah was great too.

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In terms of personal Saudi highlights, it is quite hard to look past beating Andy Ruiz in Riyadh, in 2019. Becoming a two-time Heavyweight Champion of the World at such a unique event was phenomenal. Everything about that experience was unforgettable. The hospitality I was shown was superb, the people were friendly and respectful, and reclaiming my belts made it even sweeter. I have to say, I have always been shown such kindness in the Kingdom every time I’ve been.

It's impossible for me to name one all-time favourite destination in the world because I have been lucky enough to visit some amazing places. In all honesty, I have simple tastes. When I’m not training, I like a destination where the weather is always spot on, the food is good, and I can unwind. I like the Middle East a lot, but I would find it really difficult to pinpoint one overall.

I am a big fan of a Nigerian restaurant on London's Finchley Road called Enish. They have a few branches in London, but I’m a local boy and I like the one near my old boxing gym. The food is excellent and authentic. I love things like pepper soup and jollof rice. It makes me hungry just thinking about it.

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I am not sure I have found one place to totally relax and switch off yet. I am so focused on my training and work that I haven’t found the time to find the perfect place… but I am working on it.

I have a really big family, so family holidays are on quite a big scale! We have had some really nice ones in Dubai when we have all managed to get away together. There are lots of activities for the kids and the weather is very good. We have been back to Nigeria a few times, which is great. Plus, we get to visit even more family who live there, so it’s great to reconnect.

I have a few bits I always like to take with me. One is my Pulseroll mini massage gun. It really helps with any aches and pains. Also, if I train while I am away, it really helps with recovery. I quite like to take a travel chess set away with me too. Keeps my mind exercising!

I like Dubai as a whole, but especially as a holiday destination. There's everything you need or could ever want, and the spirit and energy of the city is hard to beat. You know what they have going on there is 10 out of 10.

The childhood travel memory that really sticks out is the six months I spent in a boarding school in Nigeria. It was a real change for me coming from Watford. The school taught me a lot – it was heavily disciplined. The daily routine was up at 5am and straight to classes. It was a real no-nonsense education. If you didn’t get up on time, you knew you were going to be in serious trouble. Structure was everything and it taught me a lot.

I couldn't pick just one favourite travel memory of all time. I’ve loved all my trips for different reasons, but what gets me excited is what’s next. The best is yet to come.

Text by Becky Lucas and Paul Henderson