British-Nigerian boxing champion Anthony Joshua is reportedly considering investing in his hometown football club, Watford FC, according to Soccernet.ng.
The 35-year-old former heavyweight champion, who grew up in Watford and still resides there, is exploring the possibility of taking a financial stake in the EFL Championship side. With an estimated career earning of $110 million from his Olympic gold medal win in 2012 to multiple world titles, Joshua is now looking to channel his wealth into long-term ventures.
In an interview with Seconds Out, the two-time world champion revealed that Watford FC had come up as a serious investment opportunity as part of his broader plan to engage in private equity and venture capital.
“We wanted to move into private equity, venture capital funds,” Joshua explained. “As you earn, naturally you want to save, so rather than me spending recklessly I’m trying to invest money into certain asset classes — and that [Watford] was an opportunity that presented itself.”
He added, “Nothing’s come of it yet. It’s a serious investment. If it comes off, it’s one that should do well. If they went back to the Premier League, then I’d need to get a shop on Market Street because the traffic that would be coming through Watford would be phenomenal.”
Although Joshua admitted he’s not a huge football enthusiast, he fondly recalled the local buzz surrounding Watford matches. “Watching the fans stream down Market Street and into Vicarage Road — those were great scenes. If we don’t do it, then good luck to them anyway because they’re a great team.”
Joshua’s potential move into football ownership would expand his growing business portfolio, which already includes real estate and various ventures beyond the boxing ring.
Watford FC, which ended the 2024/25 season in 14th place, has struggled to return to the Premier League since their relegation in 2022. The club has had strong ties to Nigeria, with past players like Odion Ighalo, William Troost-Ekong, and Emmanuel Dennis, making Joshua’s possible involvement particularly meaningful for Nigerian fans.
