It’s a knockout

Boxing fans around the world were on the edge of their seats last month for the sensational WBA heavyweight title fight between Brit Anthony Joshua and Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko. The match at Wembley Stadium ended in the 11th round when Joshua knocked out his opponent, watched by an ecstatic crowd of 90,000. The match was also watched by the 1.5 million fans people who paid the see the fight on TV. After the fight Joshua returned to his mother’s home in North London, and was also soon back in the gym training for his next event.

But before his Klitschko bout, Joshua holed up in a palatial rented mansion to escape the world’s media and to prepare for the fight with his seven-strong management team. The house, which has seven bedrooms, a huge private garden and a cinema, indoor swimming pool, gym and steam room, was rented by the boxer for £20,000 a week.

This was a good return on investment for Joshua, who is said to have earned £6.5 million from the match, and who has earned £15 million since turning professional four years ago. Stevie Walmesley of agent Knight Frank St John’s Wood who rented him the house, says that “Anthony and his team were so happy with the house that they decided to extend their stay for an extra week. They were very respectful tenants and a pleasure to deal with.”

More information from Knight Frank (020 7483 8353).