Anthony Joshua made £58million in the past 12 months

Anthony Joshua doubles fortune with £58million in 12 months

Two-time unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (22-1) made more money than any other British sports star over the past 12 months, collecting an icredible amount of £58million, according to the Sunday Times' Rich List.

The WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion more than doubled his fortune to £107million thanks to his lucrative world title rematch with American-Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia last December.

Before that big moneymaker in Diriyah, AJ made his Stateside debut last June in an attempt to crack America but his dream fight at Madison Square Garden ended in disaster as unheralded stand-in opponent Andy Ruiz Jr defeated the favourite in seven thrilling rounds.

It was one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight history, but the Londoner went back to the drawing board and returned with a new plan, a different shape, as he slimmed down to be faster and lighter on his feet, and it worked a treat as he cooly outpointed his Mexican conqueror over 12 one-sided rounds in Saudi Arabia in December to win back his WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles.

That victory set the 30-year-old worth skyrocketing upwards to become the only non-football player to make the young list’s top 20.

However, the boxer is still second to Real Madrid star Gareth Bale who'sfortune rose by £20m to £114m despite a less-than-ideal campaign at the Bernabeu this season.

Joshua is due to defend his belts to the IBF mandatory Kubrat Pulev next, but with travel restrictions bound to be in place for many more months, there's ongoing talks about making the 'Undisputed' fight with WBC titleholder Tyson Fury instead. As always with these big fights, there's many obstacles in place, with contracted mandatories with Pulev, contracted rematch clauses with Wilder, conflicting promoters and TV rights... meaning that fans will likely have to wait at least another 12 months before any matchup between the two Brits could realistically take place.

HÖRFA are proud sponsors of British Boxing News