Anthony Joshua’s Career Nearly Ended Before It Began: How His Lawyer Saved Him from a 2011 Drug Arrest.
As Anthony Joshua prepares for his highly anticipated bout against Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, a lesser-known story from his past has resurfaced—one that could have ended his boxing career before it truly began. In 2011, Joshua was arrested for drug possession, an event that nearly derailed his path to stardom. However, thanks to the intervention of his lawyer, Tony Wyatt, the British heavyweight’s future in boxing was saved.
In 2011, ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Joshua was arrested for having a bag of marijuana in his car. At the time, Joshua was an amateur boxer with a promising future. Many believed he was destined for greatness, but the drug charge put everything at risk.
Joshua’s lawyer, Tony Wyatt, recognized the gravity of the situation. “The case would have led to a very different career and life for him if it had not gone this way,” Wyatt told the Daily Mail. He emphasized that if Joshua had been convicted of possession with intent to supply, it would have ended his chances of representing Team GB in the 2012 Olympics, where he later won gold.
Wyatt’s appeal to the judge was pivotal in keeping Joshua’s boxing dreams alive. “I said this was one of those scenarios where we can save this young man’s future,” Wyatt recounted. His argument was that Joshua’s youthful mistake should not cost him the opportunity to pursue a career in boxing.
Wyatt’s defense was convincing enough to spare Joshua from jail time and allowed him to continue boxing. “We can make sure this mistake does not take away a future that none of us ever had available,” Wyatt said of his argument to the judge. He stressed that this was a chance to do something positive by giving Joshua the opportunity to learn from his mistake and continue his career.
Had Joshua been convicted, he would have lost his Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) license and been barred from competing in the Olympics. This would have effectively ended his career before it even had the chance to begin.
Thankfully for Joshua, Wyatt’s defense worked, and the young boxer went on to win gold at the 2012 Olympics, setting the stage for his rise to become a world champion in professional boxing. Joshua has since become a global boxing superstar, but this key moment in his past shows just how close he came to losing it all.
As Joshua steps into the ring once again at Wembley Stadium, his past serves as a reminder of how important key figures in his life have been in shaping his successful career. Thanks to his lawyer, Tony Wyatt, Joshua was given the chance to redeem himself, and he has certainly made the most of it.
Anthony Joshua’s story is one of redemption and perseverance. His near-miss with the law in 2011 could have ended his career, but the timely intervention of his lawyer Tony Wyatt gave him a second chance. Joshua went on to achieve incredible success in the boxing world, becoming an inspiration to athletes everywhere. As he continues his career, this chapter of his life serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of seizing opportunities and learning from mistakes.