Anthony Joshua gives £95,000 personalised BMW to his stunned first boxing coach Sean Murphy
ANTHONY JOSHUA repaid the coach who saved his life with a brand new personalised £95,000 BMW.
Sean Murphy, the star’s first trainer at Finchley ABC, got the champ on the straight and narrow after he was caught up in a juvenile life of petty crime and cannabis.
Now AJ , who got Sean the gift before his fight against Wladimir Klitschko – taking another step toward being boxing’s first billionaire – has thanked the man who discovered him with an incredible gift.
On a BBC documentary, while the former bricklayer is driving to his old gym to deliver the car, he revealed: “When I was younger I was partying, I was getting in trouble, I had the court cases.
“This was the time I thought, ‘What will I do with myself?’. I’d found boxing while on bail and I had the opportunity to go to Vegas to fight.
“So I told my site manager I would go to Vegas and be back in two weeks.
“He said, ‘Nah, if you’re not here someone else can take your job. You choose what you want to do’. So, I ended up going to Vegas.
“I was f***** before boxing. That was my reckless days when I was smoking. Boxing really helped me get on the straight and narrow.
“It was at my first boxing club where I learned discipline. How to forget your ego and listen to instructions if you want to achieve things.
“Sean would say, ‘Shut up, get on the bags, stop talking’. He told me to stay focused.
“These guys will always have their door open for me, no matter what. I’ll never forget who has been there when no one was.”
When Joshua delivered the car to his original mentor, Murphy was stunned.
After the boxing superstar pointed out the personalised registration plate had his name, he said: “F*** off!, seriously?
“I’ll be scared to drive it. I remember Josh telling me a long time ago: ‘I’ll look after you’.
“But him just winning a world title is enough for me. I can’t believe it, it’s too nice, thank you. Inside I am jumping up and down.”
With Murphy clearly moved by the incredible gesture, Joshua warned him it’s just the start.
After teaching Murphy how to start the sparkling new ride, Joshua said: “When it’s all said and done, I never forget the people who were there for me when no-one else was.
“This is just something from me to get off my chest, there will be a lot more to come, don’t worry about that.”