Briton could top Beckham and Murray on rich list

Anthony Joshua was last night tipped to become Great Britain’s wealthiest-ever sports star if he beats Wladimir Klitschko in their world heavyweight title fight.

A leading sports-marketing expert predicted the 27-year-old would overtake David Beckham, Sir Andy Murray, Lewis Hamilton and Rory McIlroy in British sport’s rich list by raking in “hundreds of millions” of pounds.

Tonight’s Wembley fight has the potential to be career-defining for Joshua, who will take home £15 million win or lose in the most lucrative bout in British boxing history.

Victory could also earn Joshua bonus payments from his stable of big-name sponsors, which include Jaguar, Sky Sports, Under Armour and Lucozade. But all that would pale in comparison to what he could net in the future, according to sports marketing consultant Nigel Currie.

“If he wins, he’s poised to become the highest-paid British sportsperson of all time. It’s that big,” Currie told

“He’s got everything going for him. He’s fantastically articulate, he’s fun, he’s very engaging and communicates well, which is a terrific asset. Heavyweight champion of the world is one of the highest-earning positions.”

Tipping Joshua to surpass the earnings of Beckham, Murray, Hamilton and McIlroy, he added: “Career-wise, you’re ultimately talking hundreds of millions.”

Currie said Joshua could also cash in on being proclaimed as a potential saviour for heavyweight boxing – which is perceived as having been in the doldrums since the turn of the century – as well as his refusal to engage in the kind of tasteless antics of fellow British heavyweights David Haye and Tyson Fury.

“It rules out the unpredictable element, which a lot of sponsors are a bit wary of with boxers,” Currie said. “They say things and do things that don’t necessarily reflect well on their brand.”