Anthony Joshua becomes first man to be photographed with his son on cover of British GQ

‘It takes a family to raise a man,’ the boxer says in the issue

(Getty Images)

Anthony Joshua has become the first man to appear on the cover of British GQ alongside his son, three-year-old Joseph Joshua.

In celebration of the magazine’s 30th anniversary, the December issue explores the definition of masculinity by taking a close look at the many facets of Joshua’s life as a man, boxer and father.

The cover of the magazine features Joshua sitting on a bike with his son “JJ” sat in front of him.

On the cover of the special subscribers' edition, Joshua and JJ are sat in a loving embrace, displaying the tender side of their father-son relationship.

The boxer discusses what it’s like to raise his son in the interview, saying that it “takes a family to raise a man.”

Born in Watford in 1989, Joshua began boxing at the age of 18 at the Finchley ABC amateur boxing gym in Barnet, North London.

Now the title holder of three of the four major world boxing championships, the heavyweight champion reveals in the GQ interview that he doesn’t want JJ to follow in his footsteps by entering the ring.

Many people have been expressing their admiration for Joshua and JJ’s joint cover, with a picture of the magazine on the boxer’s Instagram page garnering more than 250,000 likes in four hours.

“So proud of my young cub! Star Boy,” Joshua wrote in the caption.

Gavin Bond, the photographer who captured Joshua and JJ for the special issue, left a message for the pair underneath the boxer’s Instagram post.

“Thank you for such a special day,” he wrote. “Very proud of this cover. Give JJ a high five from me and I hope he’s still enjoying that Play Doh.”

The December issue of British GQ will be available to download from Monday 29 October.