- Anthony Joshua was knocked out by Daniel Dubois on Saturday at Wembley
- He was caught speeding in the build-up, and blamed it on feeling fatigued
- After writing a letter of mitigation, he received a fine but avoided a driving ban
Anthony Joshua has escaped a driving ban after being caught speeding in the build-up to his devastating knockout defeat by Daniel Dubois on Saturday night.
Joshua fell short in his quest to become a three-time heavyweight champion as he was stopped inside five rounds by his fellow Brit at Wembley Stadium.
It has now emerged that he was also dealing with issues outside of the ring ahead of the world title fight.
According to The Standard, court papers show Joshua was pulled over by a Sussex Police officer at just after 9pm on May 29 after being caught going at 44mph in a 30mph zone on a handheld speed gun.
Joshua pleaded guilty to the offence on September 17, just four days before getting into the ring, but blamed his misdemeanour on ‘physical and mental fatigue’ from his ‘very intense training camp’.
He told Hastings Magistrates’ Court he needed to drive to get to remote locations for boxing sessions, and was subsequently fined £1,167 while avoiding a ban, but it is not known whether he learned his fate prior to getting into the ring with Dubois.
Joshua’s letter of mitigation read: ‘I fully accept responsibility for my actions on May 29, 2024 and deeply regret my failure to adhere to the speed limits. I understand the importance of road safety and am fully aware of the potential consequences of speeding, not only for myself but also for other road users.
‘My behaviour on that day was not excusable, and I take full ownership of my mistake. I would, however, like to offer some context regarding the situation, not as an excuse, but in the hope that the court may consider it when determining my penalty.
‘I am a professional athlete, currently in the middle of a very intense training camp. My schedule has been extremely demanding, and I was traveling to or from a training session at the time and date of the offense.
‘The physical and mental fatigue from my training may have clouded my judgment, leading to this lapse in concentration.
‘I recognise that such circumstances do not justify speeding, and I deeply regret allowing myself to make this error. I have since made a very conscious effort to be more mindful of my speed and have been adhering strictly to all traffic laws.’
Joshua is now free to continuing driving as he licks his wounds after a humbling defeat last Saturday.
The 34-year-old was knocked down three times before being sent to the canvas for a fourth and final time in the fifth round as he failed to beat the referee’s 10-count.
He is now weighing up his future, but has insisted he will not be retiring following his one-sided loss.
An immediate rematch with Dubois is a potential option for the 2012 Olympic gold medallist, while another domestic dust-up with Tyson Fury is also a possibility in 2025.
