Joshua enjoys knockout payday as he regains his heavyweight titles

ANTHONY Joshua’s recapture of his world heavyweight titles has given him an early Christmas gift – a bank balance breaking £100million.

And he could double his cash, with a £200million mega-fight against rival Deontay Wilder – if the American beats Tyson Fury – in the pipeline.

Joshua, 30, was heavily criticised for taking his rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr to Saudi Arabia.

He was attacked for not giving fans the chance to see him regain his belts in the UK, instead choosing a country with an appalling human rights record.

But the lure of a £54million payday proved a knockout decision for Joshua, whose earnings for his 24 professional fights now make him one of the highest paid sports stars in the world.

Following his win, Joshua was joined in the ring by his family, including three-year-old son Joseph Bayley Temiloluwa Prince Joshua.

The boxer’s parents Yeta and Robert, along with his sister Janet, were seen jumping up and down to celebrate.

The fight is said to have attracted more than 25million viewers worldwide, including Sylvester Stallone, who held a party with his celebrity friends in LA.

The Rocky star, who had supported Ruiz, 30, for the fight, was joined by Sugar Ray Leonard, Arnold Schwarzenegger, celebrity chef Guy Fieri, magician David Blaine and Al Pacino. He posted a picture of his friends on Instagram. He wrote: “Just having a great time at home watching fights with

BY CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN a great bunch of guys. What a great day.” Before Saturday’s win, Joshua had amassed £49million since turning professional after winning Olympic gold in London in 2012.

But with his purse and share of pay-per-view rights from Saturday’s fight, the boxer begins 2020 as the richest UK boxer in history, eclipsing Lennox Lewis.

His earnings inside the ring are bolstered by an additional £15million in sponsorship deals.

Team Joshua member Mark Seltzer, a boxing manager and cutman with 50 world title fights to his name, said: “The sky’s the limit for Josh.

“Quite rightly his performances have seen him become one of the highest paid sportsmen in the world, but a mega-fight with Wilder could see them attract a purse of £200million.

“It’s the fight the world wants to see. With money from the Middle East and the Far East now in the sport, countless backers will pay the money.”

Wilder, 34, currently holds the WBC title, the only belt Joshua has yet to win.

The Brit’s next opponent could be Oleksandr Usyk.

The Ukrainian is the mandated WBO challenger with the organisation saying Watford-born Joshua will need to defend his heavyweight belt before June 4 if he does not vacate the title.

Wilder takes on Fury on February 22. They drew when they met previously last December.