Britain’s world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has made a substantial donation to boxing gyms as the 2012 Olympic gold medallist fears many may go out of business due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Numerous amateur gyms have been forced to shut temporarily through the lockdown and Joshua is concerned that many amateur boxers will have to hang up their gloves if some were to close permanently.
Joshua is the latest high-profile boxing personality to voice his fears following that of his promoter Eddie Hearn and Northern Ireland’s former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton.
Joshua — who retained his world title belts with a ninth-round stoppage of Kubrat Pulev earlier this month — has made his donation to clubs via the three home nations federations.
“Boxing helped shape me, both physically and mentally,” said Joshua.