Harper in heavyweight AJ deal

HarperCollins has fought off seven publishers at auction to win world rights to world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s memoir, Fight.

Harper NonFiction publishing director Jack Fogg negotiated the deal with David Luxton at DLA, and Freddie Cunningham at AJ Boxing Management, following a "hotly contested" eight-way auction. Fight will be published in October 2018.

An Olympic gold-medal winner at the age of 22, Joshua has since gone on to dominate the heavy-weight boxing division. His victory over Joseph Parker on 31st March saw him claim his third of the four divisional belts, and should he unify the division by winning the fourth, he would be the first man to hold all four heavyweight belts.

In his first book, the 28-year-old takes readers ring-side, sharing previously untold stories from his life and explaining the strategies that have made him the champion he is today, a HarperCollins spokesperson said. From overcoming difficulties in his adolescence "to turning himself into the best heavyweight of his generation, this fascinating, insightful and genuine account reveals the man and his methods in depth for the first time".

Fogg revealed he was "absolutely thrilled" with the signing. "In the past few years, Joshua has distinguished himself as not only one of Britain’s, but the world’s, greatest and most recognisable athletes," Fogg said. "He has overcome a huge amount personally to arrive at the pinnacle of the sport, and this book will, for the first time, explain the methods and strategies that got him there."

Joshua said of the deal: "This is a project I am very excited about. I look forward to giving readers an insight into my journey and approach to being a modern athlete."