British-Nigerian boxing superstar Anthony Joshua has officially relocated from the United Kingdom to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, a move that has raised eyebrows given his deep ties to both Britain and Nigeria.
The 36-year-old former heavyweight champion disclosed the change through documents filed for his business empire, reportedly worth around £150 million, listing the UAE as his country of residence. 
The filings, covering his companies Sparta Promotions Limited and 258 Investments Limited, legally required Joshua to declare his country of residence and he listed the UAE.
The timing has drawn attention. Documentation shows that Joshua pressed ahead with the decision despite the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran, which has seen the UAE come under sustained attack from Iranian drones.  Thousands of Britons have scrambled to flee Dubai, with some reportedly paying up to £100,000 for private jet evacuations.
For many Nigerians, the move also stings as a snub. Born in Watford to Nigerian parents, Joshua had visited Nigeria as recently as December 2025, when he survived a tragic car accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that claimed the lives of two of his close team members, personal trainer Latif “Latz” Ayodele and strength coach Sina Ghami.
Financial motives appear central to the relocation. As a UK resident, Joshua would have been liable for taxes on dividend payments of £10.1 million in 2024 and £6.3 million in 2023. His company Sparta Promotions also made profits of £20.396 million and paid £6.65 million in UK tax in 2024.  Dubai, by contrast, levies no personal income tax.
Joshua’s departure places him among a growing cohort of affluent Britons establishing themselves overseas, joining Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou in Monaco, among others.
He joins a growing list of high-profile figures who have relocated to Dubai, including former boxing champion Amir Khan.  Joshua has long maintained strong connections to the city, using its sporting facilities for training camps and promotional work — most memorably staging a sparring session in 2017 on the helipad of the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel, 700 feet above the sea.
The two-time unified heavyweight world champion continues to balance his boxing career with expanding business interests, though his next move in the ring remains unconfirmed.