ANTHONY JOSHUA HEARTBREAK AS CHAMP REVEALS HE HAS LOST ‘CLOSE FRIENDS ’ to CORONAVIRUS FROM BELOVED BOXING GYM

Joshua opened up in a video, left, on losing 'close friends' from his Finchley gym, which he poses in, right, to coronavirus

Joshua, 30, who trains at Finchley Boxing Club in Barnet, North London, said: "Wherever you are in the world, I'm just checking in personally for everyone to just say that I hope you're all well, you're all keeping safe.

"This is a message to say you've got my support, we're all doing the right thing.

"To the people who are suffering with coronavirus, I wish you a speedy recovery because it is no joke.

"To the ones who have suffered, and lost loved ones, I want to say keep your head up. You've got my love. Blessings to you and your family and condolences.


"I've lost no one immediate to me but I've lost close ones from my boxing gym, close friends, friends of friends, and it gets serious when it starts coming closer to home."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson bemoaned a "sad day" yesterday as it was announced 563 people had died due to the virus - the UK's biggest one-day death toll yet.

Finchley Gym was where Joshua started training as a raw 18-year-old.

He made a surprise visit back there in January last year, stunning amateur wannabes on his 'Back 2 Basics' trip.


And he bought the club a team bus in 2018 before recently sharing amazing throwback photos showing himself training there as a skinny teen.

Joshua was due to take on his IBF mandatory challenger the Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev on June 20, but the fight was recently postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

A new date has been set and announced by Pulev for July 25 but a venue has not yet been decided.