Anthony Joshua: Meet boxer's 54-year-old mum Yeta Odusanya

Anthony Joshua's rarely seen mum, Yeta Odusanya, is a perfect attestation to the popular axiom that behind every successful man is a strong woman.

Obviously every sports personality has one woman or more behind them. Cristiano Ronaldo has always attributed his enviable success in football to his mother and partner Georgina Rodriguez.

British heavyweight champion Joshua, is no doubt, also enjoining the rare privilege of having his mother's moral, physical and spiritual support which has been a fulcrum behind the wheel of his glistering career success.

Joshua's mum Yeta came into more limelight in the build-up between his son's heavyweight fight with Mexican star Andy Ruiz on December 7, 2019, in Saudi Arabia.

The fight, dubbed clash of dunes, saw Joshua reclaim his heavyweight belts from the Mexican after twelve rounds of actions on a unanimous decision.

But on the eve of the fight, Joshua's mum was pictured at Al Faisaliah Hotel where she was being greeted by the Ruiz who donned a white Arab long wear.

The 54-year-old, who featured in documentary, The Fight Of My Life, filmed ahead of Joshua's bout against Klitschko, had claimed in 2017 that she rarely watched Joshua fight because of the emotional part of watching her son take punches from opponents.

Yeta had also spoken about the heavyweight star being an inspiration to the family, and raising him solely after divorcing his father, Dailymail reports in 2017.

''He's just a blessing to the family; an inspiration to the younger ones and also to us as well,'' Joshua's mum said.

''I saw the changes in him. the dedication the hard work and all that. No one wants to see their son in a fight. I've only been to two, it's just too emotional and very nerve-wracking and as a mum you feel for your child.'

Meanwhile, Joshua has always referenced his mother as a big influence on his career success.

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Source: YEN.com.gh