Watch Joshua on My Icon, starting Sunday on Sky Sports Mix
Saturday 30 September 2017 22:40, UK
People will be inspired by watching Anthony Joshua in the opening episode of Sky Sports' ground-breaking My Icon series, says journalist Darren Lewis.
World heavyweight champion Joshua is the first athlete showcased in the My Icon series, which features 31 interviews with Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) sportspeople shown on Sky Sports Mix each day in October.
Joshua has inspired millions on his journey from winning gold at the London 2012 Olympics to establishing himself as the face of heavyweight boxing after his epic victory over Wladimir Klitschko in April.
And Daily Mirror sports journalist Lewis says Joshua's rise is down to a combination of perseverance and unshakeable self-belief.
He told Sky Sports: "I'm particularly looking forward to seeing the [My Icon] story surrounding Anthony Joshua, because he is someone who has come from a difficult upbringing much like myself, not salubrious surroundings.
"He has come from a background in which he has really had to use his tenacity and his mental strength. He has really had to rely on the people around him that have inspired him, lifted him that and kept him on the right path.
"He has had to rely on a lot of inner belief as well to get to where he has wanted to go to and that is all before he has actually become a sportsman. He's had to move out of his surroundings mentally as well as physically that he had been in.
"As far as Joshua is concerned, he is now an inspirational figure. He's a fantastic orator and he is, of course, the heavyweight champion of the world.
"In terms of the stories that you are going to be presenting, his will be one of the most inspirational, particularly for young black men like myself, who, when I was a kid, looked for guys like him to inspire me, to give me a focus, to give me something to aim towards.
"He will inspire lots more people when they see his story."
AJ talks about his journey in the first instalment of the My Icon series, which premieres on Sunday at 7am on Sky Sports Mix and is repeated at 10.30am, 1pm, 3.30pm and 5.45pm.
Coinciding with Black History Month, Sky Sports' My Icon campaign brings you 31 exclusive interviews with top BAME sports personalities across the month of October. For more information, click here.
