Public fascination with Anthony Joshua’s romantic life has remained consistently high throughout his professional career. The British-Nigerian heavyweight, who captured Olympic gold at London 2012 and went on to claim multiple world titles, has become one of the most recognisable sporting figures in the UK. With over 16 million Instagram followers and lucrative endorsement deals worth approximately £8.3 million annually, Joshua’s status as a global sports icon inevitably draws attention not only to his performances in the ring but also to his personal affairs. Yet unlike many contemporary athletes who embrace public relationships, the boxer has deliberately maintained firm boundaries around his private life, sparking continued curiosity about the question on many minds: who is Anthony Joshua girlfriend?
Why Public Interest Around Anthony Joshua Girlfriend Remains High
His Status as a Global Sports Figure and British Icon
Anthony Joshua’s profile extends far beyond British shores. Following his victory over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in 2017—watched by 90,000 spectators—Joshua was described as creating “the type of excitement not seen since the days of Mike Tyson”. His combination of athletic prowess, marketability and charisma has positioned him alongside David Beckham as one of Britain’s most commercially valuable sports personalities. Major brands including Hugo Boss, Jaguar, Land Rover and Beats By Dre have placed Joshua at the centre of expensive advertising campaigns, recognising his global appeal.
This level of fame inevitably places Joshua under sustained media scrutiny. Research examining British footballers found that tabloid newspapers in particular demonstrate a pronounced tendency to report on athletes’ private lives, with the Daily Mail publishing more than three times as many personal stories as broadsheet counterparts. The British press has historically shown what former footballer Gary Lineker described as an “insatiable interest in how people are behaving”—a characteristic that distinguishes UK media from coverage in other countries. As one of the nation’s most prominent sporting exports, Joshua faces this scrutiny regularly, making any detail about anthony joshua girlfriend a topic of considerable public interest.
Anthony Joshua’s Approach to Relationships
What He Has Said in Interviews About Love, Family and Privacy
Joshua has been remarkably candid about his priorities when directly questioned about his romantic life. During a 2023 interview with documentarian Louis Theroux, the boxer stated simply: “No, I don’t” when asked if he had a girlfriend at the time. Pressed further on whether he would acknowledge a relationship publicly if one existed, Joshua responded: “Yeah, definitely. Imagine me going home to my missus now, and she said, ‘You denied me!’ I don’t want the stress”.
These comments suggest a straightforward approach: Joshua appears willing to confirm a relationship if one were serious, but refuses to participate in speculation about casual dating or rumoured connections. In the same interview, he directly addressed longstanding speculation linking him to supermodels Cara Delevingne and Bella Hadid, stating categorically: “I haven’t been with any of those girls by the way”.
How Boxing and Fame Shape His Personal Life
Joshua has consistently emphasised that his boxing career takes precedence over romantic pursuits. Speaking on The Jonathan Ross Show, he admitted: “I’ve got some time to go on dates now and mingle a little bit,” but quickly added, “I don’t know what I’m doing actually. Boxing is my priority”. This single-minded focus reflects the demanding nature of elite-level boxing, where training camps require months of intensive preparation and personal sacrifice.
Family obligations also shape Joshua’s approach to relationships. At 36, the boxer still lives with his mother, Yeta Odusanya, a decision rooted in Nigerian cultural values. “In our culture, we are raised in our family homes, and we support our parents. Why would I move out and leave my mum for some girl?” Joshua explained in a previous interview. This living arrangement, whilst unusual for a multimillionaire athlete, underscores his commitment to family and suggests that any serious partner would need to understand and accommodate these priorities.
Is Anthony Joshua Currently in a Relationship?
Carefully Presenting Confirmed Information
As of December 2025, Anthony Joshua has not publicly confirmed that he is in a relationship. The most significant romantic connection in Joshua’s life remains his past involvement with Nicole Osbourne, a dance teacher and yoga instructor whom he met during his school years in Watford. The pair had an on-and-off relationship that resulted in the birth of their son, Joseph “JJ” Joshua, in October 2015. Although they later separated, Joshua and Osbourne maintain an amicable co-parenting arrangement. The boxer has spoken warmly about fatherhood, telling GQ in 2018: “Boxing gave me belief in myself. What has changed by having my son is that now I think about the future – the pitfalls of life, what I’ve seen, how to be a better man”.
Recent Speculation Without Confirmation
Throughout 2025, Joshua has been romantically linked with Samia Slimani, a Moroccan model and lifestyle influencer. Speculation intensified after photographs emerged on Instagram during Joshua’s visit to Morocco, with Slimani posting images accompanied by affectionate captions. Despite the nature of these posts, neither Joshua nor Slimani has officially confirmed a romantic relationship.
Earlier reports from September 2024 suggested a connection between Joshua and Kika Osunde, a London-based hairdresser and entrepreneur. The pair were spotted together in Dubai and, following Joshua’s victory over Francis Ngannou, he was seen rushing over to Osunde for what appeared to be a celebratory embrace. However, once again, neither party publicly confirmed the nature of their relationship.
Previous years have seen Joshua linked—without confirmation—to television presenter Vick Hope in 2018 (she later married DJ Calvin Harris in 2023), and to supermodel Bella Hadid in 2017. In each instance, credible UK media outlets reported on the alleged connections, but Joshua never publicly acknowledged these relationships.
Why Anthony Joshua Keeps His Private Life Private
Media Pressure, Public Scrutiny and Career Focus
The demands placed upon high-profile British athletes extend well beyond their sporting performances. Professional Footballers’ Association research has shown that 38 per cent of players experience anxiety due to social media abuse, whilst 42 per cent report symptoms of depression linked to online harassment. A 2023 study revealed a staggering 350 per cent increase in online abuse targeting footballers since 2019. Whilst this research focused on football, the findings illuminate the broader mental health challenges facing athletes in the public eye—challenges that Joshua, as one of Britain’s most visible sportsmen, inevitably confronts.
Joshua himself has alluded to the difficulties of maintaining authentic personal relationships under such scrutiny. “I’ve had girlfriends. It could be in the local supermarket, or at the petrol station, could be anywhere,” he told Louis Theroux, suggesting that he prefers organic connections rather than relationships formed within celebrity circles. The boxer also revealed a painful lesson about fame following his 2019 defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr, when certain celebrity acquaintances distanced themselves from him. This experience highlighted how Joshua learned to distinguish genuine relationships from opportunistic associations.
Comparison With Other Elite British Athletes
Joshua’s approach to privacy mirrors that of several contemporary British sports figures who have sought to maintain boundaries between their professional and personal lives. Research into British footballers’ media representation found that whilst tabloids demonstrate a marked preference for reporting private life stories—often with sensationalist framing—broadsheets tend to focus predominantly on athletic performance. Elite athletes increasingly recognise the value of protecting personal relationships from this scrutiny.
Many high-profile couples in British sport have opted for discretion. Former Arsenal footballer Alex Scott kept her eight-year relationship with teammate Kelly Smith entirely secret, later explaining that she wanted to protect that first love story. Similarly, England captain Leah Williamson maintains a relatively low-profile relationship, controlling what aspects they share publicly. Joshua’s careful management of his personal life reflects a broader understanding that privacy offers protection in an age of relentless digital scrutiny.
Athletes can take proactive steps to shield their private lives, including establishing clear communication strategies and, when necessary, seeking legal remedies to prevent intrusive coverage. Joshua’s deliberate approach demonstrates this protective mindset.
The Amir Khan Controversy
No discussion of anthony joshua girlfriend speculation would be complete without addressing the 2017 controversy involving fellow boxer Amir Khan. In a highly publicised incident, Khan took to social media to accuse Joshua of having an affair with his wife, Faryal Makhdoom. Khan’s provocative tweets sparked a media firestorm across British tabloids and sports outlets.
Joshua firmly denied the allegations, responding on Twitter with a clip of the Shaggy song “It Wasn’t Me” and stating that he had “never even met” Makhdoom. Khan later admitted that his accusations were unfounded and expressed deep regret for damaging his friendship with Joshua. “I threw him under the bus over a message which wasn’t really him,” Khan acknowledged in an interview on The Overlap. “At the end of the day, it was a bit silly that I threw him under the bus… I take full blame for that little issue me and AJ. But the good thing about it was nothing was true”.
The two boxers have since reconciled, with Khan confirming they now maintain “a very professional relationship” and communicate regularly via WhatsApp. The incident serves as a stark reminder of how easily unfounded rumours can spread and the importance of respecting factual boundaries when discussing public figures’ personal lives.
Public Curiosity vs Personal Boundaries
A Balanced UK Editorial Take on Celebrity Privacy
The tension between public interest and personal privacy remains a defining challenge of contemporary celebrity culture. Whilst Joshua’s status as a publicly funded Olympic medallist and highly paid professional athlete legitimately attracts media attention, this does not grant unlimited access to every aspect of his life. The European Convention on Human Rights, incorporated into UK law through the Human Rights Act 1998, protects individuals’ right to private and family life—a principle that extends to public figures, albeit with certain limitations when matters of genuine public interest arise.
Legal precedent in the UK has established that celebrities and athletes retain privacy rights concerning their intimate relationships unless those relationships involve matters of genuine public concern such as hypocrisy or criminality. Several high-profile sportsmen have successfully obtained injunctions to prevent media outlets from publishing details of their private lives, demonstrating that fame does not automatically negate one’s entitlement to privacy.
Why Respecting Boundaries Matters
Joshua’s decision to maintain privacy around his romantic life reflects a mature understanding of the pressures that public relationships face. Celebrity couples who have spoken publicly about their choice to remain private often cite the need to preserve normalcy and protect their partnerships from external scrutiny. Actress Zendaya, discussing her relationship with Tom Holland, explained: “I do have control over what I choose to share. It’s about protecting peace and allowing things to be personal without fearing their existence”.
For Joshua, who carries the additional responsibilities of co-parenting his young son and supporting his extended family, the decision to keep potential romantic partners away from media attention appears both pragmatic and considerate. Once public figures “allow people in, they become part of your life, and you lose the ability to claim certain moments for yourself”.
The British public’s fascination with anthony joshua girlfriend is understandable given his prominence, but it must be balanced against his legitimate right to conduct his personal affairs privately. In an era where social media abuse of athletes has increased significantly and mental health concerns among high-profile sportspeople continue to mount, respecting the boundaries that athletes establish becomes not merely a matter of courtesy but of basic human decency.
Conclusion
Anthony Joshua’s romantic life remains largely private by deliberate design. Whilst he has been romantically linked to various women throughout his career—including Nicole Osbourne, the mother of his son, and more recently Moroccan influencer Samia Slimani—Joshua has not publicly confirmed having an anthony joshua girlfriend at present. His approach reflects a clear set of priorities: boxing excellence, family obligations and personal wellbeing take precedence over participating in public romantic speculation.
The boxer has demonstrated consistent honesty when directly questioned about his relationship status, stating in 2023 that he did not have a girlfriend and would not hide such a relationship if one existed. He has also directly refuted unfounded rumours, including long-standing speculation linking him to supermodels and the false allegations made by Amir Khan regarding Faryal Makhdoom.
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