Anthony Joshua Reveals Beatings He Got At Nigerian Boarding School Instilled Discipline In Him

British boxing champion who has Nigerian roots, Anthony Joshua, claims that the beatings he received when he attended a boarding school in Nigeria instilled a high level of discipline and toughness in him from an early age.

The 27-year-old IBF heavyweight champion and his mother Yeta, were in Nigeria for six months when he was 11-year-old, before returning back to the UK.

“I thought I was going there (Nigeria) on holiday,” said the 27-year-old. “I wasn’t prepared for it. It was a boarding school as well. At the time you think ‘Why?’, but as you get older you think it was good that you experienced it. It was good for me. I think my mum was trying to do some business there; maybe she had it in her mind. You don’t just randomly decide to move there. She might have been thinking about it, but didn’t inform us because we were kids. We stayed out there, not long, only six months. It was a change and I thought I was going to go for the full course: 5.30am in the morning, up fetch your water, put like an iron in your water to warm it up. Your clothes had to be washed and ironed.”
‘It wasn’t an issue but I wasn’t prepared. It was a good discipline. We got beaten. That’s my culture: beating. The government raise your kids now; parents aren’t allowed to raise their kids, because there is so much control about what you do or what you say. In the (Nigerian) culture it’s family, outside support; everyone has a role in raising the kids.’

Joshua last visited Nigeria 13 years ago and isn’t sure whether he will have a boxing fight here.

“I thought I was in heaven when I returned to England. But when you are in sport you become a representation of people. I’ve got it (an outline of Nigeria) tattooed on my arm, so people can relate to me. I don’t know if (a fight there) will happen.”

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