Joshua living his dreams... for free

Anthony Joshua’s rags-to-riches rise from a council flat in Watford to world heavyweight champion has made him a millionaire many times over.

He banked £15million for last month’s fight with Carlos Takam in Cardiff.

That goes with the £15million for beating Wladimir Klitschko in April, which were by far and away the biggest purses of his career.

The 28-year-old former Olympic champion also has 12 lucrative sponsorship deals, including top brands such as Jaguar, Under Armour and Audemars Piguet.

And his business partner Freddie Cunningham has revealed Joshua is living the millionaire lifestyle but isn’t spending a penny doing it.

He revealed that Joshua is being so careful with his money he can live like a millionaire but save all his money... and here's how.

The heavyweight champ would rather save his millions and live at home with his mum than splash out.

In fact, the glamorous life we see him live on social media is just more money in his pockets in the form of endorsements and sponsorship.

In an interview with Business Insider Joshua's right hand man in business Cunningham explained how the boxer lives a life of luxury without spending a penny.

Cunningham said: "From the outside, it probably looks like he does [live a luxury lifestyle].

"He's seen in private jets, wearing expensive watches, and driving round 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."

Cunningham is at the forefront of promoting AJ's image outside the ring and helped the Olympic champion launch his own management company AJ Boxing at the end of 2015.

Joshua has 12 main sponsors including Under Armour, JD Sports, Beats by Dre, StubHub, Dafabet, Lynx, Audemars Piguet, Jaguar Land Rover, BXR, Vodafone, Westfield and Lucozade who are desperate to have the star seen wearing, drinking, smelling off and driving in their products.

AJ is regularly spotted with a different luxury Swiss timepiece draped around his wrist, but with his face and arm attached to the brand he will never have to dip into his pocket for an Audemars Piguet watch.

The boxer is always the envy of watch connoisseurs whether he is weighing in for a fight in his £108,500 silver model or suited and booted accessorised with his £263,600 diamond encrusted rose gold piece.

Joshua has his travel both in the air and on the ground sorted too.

His partnership with Jaguar Land Rover sees his rolling round London in his choice of a fleet of luxury wheels including a custom all-black range he posted on his Instagram.

But it's not just products that want AJ associated with them, it's entire countries.

There is no place in the world that screams out glamour and luxury quite like Dubai with its stunning skyline full of out-of-this-world buildings, multi-million pound yachts hosting the most exclusive parties and luxury cars cruising the pristine streets.

So naturally, the superstar boxer recently jumped on a free private jet to get in some warm weather training while seeing the sights.

Instagram pictures show AJ chilling in the pool with a backdrop of the iconic hotel Burj Al Arab, flashing his million-dollar smile while body boarding and even sparring 690ft in the air.

But it was Dubai Tourism who splashed out for the privilege of having the sporting icon spotted hitting their hottest tourist spots.

Cunningham said: "There's also global interest in Dubai.

"We have a partnership with Dubai Tourism and they really like him and get his philosophy on life, his morals, everything.

"He resonates with that territory. They want to bring boxing there. Hopefully we can do something there."

Dubai as well as America, Asia and Nigeria are on the list of territories that Cunningham has set his sights on for AJ to conquer next.

To do that it will mean more sponsors, and a lot more free stuff — but that is light work for AJ.

While most corporate marketers tend to shy away from sponsoring individual boxers, they seem to be tripping over each other to get a piece of Joshua.

His knockout win over former long-reigning heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in April and his dominant stoppage defeat of Takam last month may have helped him rise to stardom in the boxing world — but it maybe something out of his control that has launched him to global stardom and changed the marketing game.

With his 6ft 6in frame covered in perfectly sculpted muscles and a million-dollar smile to match his humble, lovable persona — it may be the almost super human-ness aura that packs his hardest punch when it comes to marketing.

Cunningham said: "I've never met a guy like him, who can talk to anybody on any level from the bloke on the petrol station forecourt to the MD of a multi-national company.

"He is a people person, very engaging and authentic and that is what drives everything.

"He's a unique guy, a unique athlete with a tight group around him.

"Day one I would call people and got the same answer, boxing is not for us.

"Now my phone is ringing with the same brands who told us they would never do it not wanting to get involved."

Now the tables have turned - with brands known across the world throwing themselves at the heavyweight champ its now his and his teams turn to be the ones to politely decline their offers.

So AJ may want to hang on to his humble beginnings, but it appears his freebie luxurious lifestyle has other ideas.

— The Sun