Do we like them?

Do we like Anthony Joshua?

Our score: 7 out of 10. Decent record and real generosity, held back by an old clunky interview and a habit of dodging awkward questions about fighting in Saudi Arabia.

The story everyone is talking about is the one he'd give anything to undo. On 29 December 2025, an SUV carrying Joshua on the Lagos-Ibadan road hit a stationary truck, and his trainer Latif Ayodele and strength coach Sina Ghami died. Joshua walked away with minor injuries and the driver was arrested and charged over the crash, so no blame lands on Joshua.

What he did next is why a lot of people warmed to him. A month later he posted a video paying tribute, calling the two men his “left and right” and saying “It's not about legacy.” He also said “The mission must go on” and spoke of honouring what they hoped to do for their families. Fair to say he didn't dodge the grief or spin it.

The other sore spot is Saudi Arabia, where he has fought several times. Reporting from 2022 shows him being asked about sportswashing and brushing it off, and Amnesty has said its worry is sport being used to polish the country's image. Where you land depends on whether you see a fighter going where the biggest fights are, or a star who won't engage when asked about LGBTQ+ people and migrant workers there. He fought in Jeddah again in July.

The good stuff is real. In late 2020, with grassroots gyms facing closure in the pandemic, he made a substantial donation to boxing clubs across England, Wales and Scotland and said “Boxing helped shape me, both physically and mentally.” That is the kind of act that costs a fighter something rather than earning him headlines.

The honest read: a decent, grief-struck bloke with a generous streak and a Saudi-shaped asterisk. Nothing found says he'd hurt anyone, and plenty says he looks after his people. Gaps remain: I couldn't open his charity work in full or the later reporting on his Fury negotiations, so call it a confident lean yes rather than a gushing one.