Anthony Joshua feared he would get driving ban in build-up to his defeat by Daniel Dubois

LIB

Former heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua feared a driving ban was about to derail his career as he made the final preparations ahead of his Wembley fight with Daniel Dubois.

The 34-year-old British-Nigerian boxer was humbled in the ring on Saturday, September 21 in his IBF heavyweight title contest, hitting the floor four times before a knockout blow from Dubois in the fifth round.

It has now been revealed that Joshua had pleaded guilty to a speeding charge four days before the flight, and was worried he was about to be stripped of his driving licence.

He blamed the driving offence on “physical and mental fatigue” from a “very intense training camp”, and told the court he needed to drive to get to remote locations for boxing sessions.

Joshua ultimately was ordered to pay £1,167 and did not receive a ban but he may not have known what the sentence was before he went into battle with Dubois.

Joshua, a two-time heavyweight champion, was the favourite going into Saturday’s match, but was outclassed in the bout and fell to a fifth-round blow to his chin.