Nigerian-British boxing legend Anthony Joshua has issued a stern call on entertainers and athletes to look beyond the glitz and glamour that characterizes their respective lines of duty. In the words of the two-time world heavyweight champion, sports, music, or entertainment cannot make anyone a billionaire, regardless of how successful they seem.
Taking to Snapchat to air his views, Joshua said the need for financial literacy and long-term planning was paramount.
He tweeted: “For any to reach billionaire status, it will not be through sports, music, or entertainment. Don’t get lost in the hype; focus on the sustainability, books, and business ethics.”
As Joshua says, a sad fact remains that success might come rather fast in entertainment and sports, yet actual generational wealth often builds on business investment and deals. Even for those very few entertainers and athletes who have emerged as billionaires-Rihanna, Jay-Z, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan, among them-the sources of their fortunes can be traced back to endorsements, business empires, and investments other than their respective day jobs.
The candid advice by the boxer underpins the essence of financial discipline, leveraging on fame for sustainable creation of wealth. To Joshua, the real fight is in building a legacy that outlasts the spotlight.
