Watford owner Gino Pozzo is looking for investment into the Championship club and Anthony Joshua says he is interested in putting money into his home town team
Boxing star Anthony Joshua is interested in investing in his home town club Watford. Joshua grew up in the town and has considered putting money into the Championship side, with owner Gino Pozzo courting investment.
Pozzo put 10 per cent of the Hornets up for sale last summer via a digital equity scheme, seeking £17.5million to value the club at £175m. However, the 60-year-old was forced to cancel the scheme in March after only £3,919,334 was raised from 3,125 investors.
The Pozzo family bought Watford in 2012 but they have made no secret of the fact they are still seeking investment, or perhaps even a full sale. The team finished 14th in the Championship this season – their third successive mid-table placing following relegation from the Premier League in 2022.
The team appears to have stagnated and fresh investment could be what is needed to push up the table next season and challenge for promotion back to the Premier League. Forbes estimates Joshua’s net worth to be around $83m (£62.5m) and the heavyweight has confirmed that he would be keen to invest.
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“We wanted to move into private equity, venture capital funds and so on,” Joshua told the Seconds Out YouTube Channel. “As you earn, naturally you want to save, so rather than me spending recklessly I’m trying to invest money into certain asset classes and that was an opportunity that presented itself.
“Nothing’s come of it yet. It’s a serious investment. If it comes off it’s one that should do well. If we don’t do it then good luck to them anyway because they’re a great team.”
He added: “If they went back to the Premier League then I’d need to get a shop on Market Street because the traffic that would be coming through Watford would be phenomenal.
“I remember being on Market Street and watching the football fans. I’m not a massive football fan myself but watching the fans steamroll Market Street and steamroll Vicarage Road were real good scenes.”
Joshua has been out of action since losing to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September. He confirmed that he is nursing an injury which will require surgery before he can consider another fight.
“I’m trying to get my body right. I’ve got to have a little surgery on my elbow, a small surgery, sometime in May,” he said. “I’m finalising the details. It will see me out of the gym for six to eight weeks and as soon as I’ve healed I’ll be back.”
Joshua hinted at a fight against Tyson Fury, who although he has retired once more, has posted footage of himself with trainer SugarHill Steward on social media.
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