Most people know Anthony Joshua “the boxer.”
He’s the WBA, IBF, and IBO world heavyweight champion, a 2012 Olympic gold medalist, a 2011 World Amateur Championship silver medalist, and a 2010 ABA champion.
And it’s not only his titles that define him as a prize fighter, but also the nature of his victories. Joshua laughed off an in-ring riot to flatten old amateur rival Dillian Whyte with a crushing right uppercut in 2015, and he got off the canvas to knock out former long-reigning heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in April.
Most recently, his nose was almost split open when Carlos Takam headbutted him last month. Joshua shook off the injury to score a dominant stoppage win and preserve his impeccable knockout winning run.
Needless to say, Joshua is a renowned entity in the world of sports.
What you might not know as well is Anthony Joshua “the brand.
Cunningham, who is in his late 20s, has one clear vision — to take Joshua’s wild popularity in Britain around the world. This involves fights, free marketing, and short-term commercial deals that will continue to boost Joshua’s net worth.
Cunningham’s task is to elevate Joshua’s “household name-value” so that it’s on a par with former world number one ranked golfer Rory McIlroy, tennis hotshot Andy Murray, and Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton.
When we met Cunningham by the AJ Boxing and Commercial offices in Battersea, he shared details on the revenue streams — such as deals with blue-chip giants like Under Armour — that keep Joshua in the money when he takes a break from knocking opponents unconscious.
Sponsors are the only marketing Joshua needs
Joshua’s fight contracts are attaining heavyweight status. For the Wladimir Klitschko bout in April, Joshua earned over £10 million — a figure that rose when pay-per-view buy-rates were calculated. He received a similar amount for dueling Takam in October. However, he supplements his income with sponsorship arrangements.
“We have twelve commercial partners,” Cunningham said. “Under Armour, JD Sports, Beats by Dre, StubHub, Dafabet, Lynx, Audemars Piguet, Jaguar Land Rover, BXR, Vodafone, Westfield and… I’m sure there’s one more.”
There’s no marketing department at AJ Boxing and Commercial because the sponsors effectively act as one. YouTube commercials with Lynx and Westfield adverts on buses ensure the fighter is seen by different demographics, according to Cunningham, who said that during fight weeks, he gets text messages from colleagues and friends saying that they can’t “not see” Joshua’s face.
“With these commercial partners it is hugely important how they activate us,” Cunningham said. “They are our marketing department. Lucozade, Lynx, they’re putting it out there. And Lynx especially is a younger audience. We’re widening the demographic. Anthony was GQ Man of the Year, that’s another demographic. Fashion. That’s our marketing.”
He may appear to live a luxurious lifestyle — but he doesn’t spend
Cunningham said that despite having “a lot of money,” Joshua “doesn’t live the life that he could.”
“From the outside, it probably looks like he does. He’s seen in private jets, wearing expensive watches, and driving around in nice cars.
“The jets are all sponsored. We’ve never paid for a private jet, or a helicopter, in our life. He gets a signature car from Land Rover.
“He’s not spending that money. He’s accumulating money. He’s living a lifestyle that probably everyone wants him to live, or see him live, but he’s doing it in a smart way. Tactful.”
He added that until recently, Joshua was still living with his mum, although he just bought a property in North London that he’s renovating.
He has a hands-on role in his deals
When Joshua’s not fighting, he often takes on “sponsorship activation” days which typically last six hours. Cunningham said Joshua has a hands-on role — if there’s a product involved, like an Audemars Piguet watch or a Jaguar car, he looks at the product and suggests how it could be developed.
“Anthony gives his opinion,” he said. “He has his input.”
However, he said the days are mostly made up of “content capture” in the form of images, film, “social media stuff,”‘ and sometimes a Q&A.