Anthony Joshua’s first boxing trainer has said boys coming to the club are “proud to be Finchley boxers” thanks to his incredible success.

Sean Murphy trained Anthony at Finchley Amateur Boxing Club when he was just 18, and has been training young boxers there for 17 years.

And, after he beat Wladimir Klitschko on Saturday night, the boxing coach has said he "knew there was something there" almost immediately when he met Anthony.

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Mr Murphy branded Anthony a “perfectionist”, saying his strong work ethic has inspired other young boxers coming into the club.

He told the Watord Observer: “It’s brilliant – there are a lot of boys who come through the doors and everyone is proud to be Finchley boxers because they look up to him as a role model.

“He hasn’t changed much – he has become a better boxer but in himself he is very happy-go-lucky.

“He was a real perfectionist and if he didn’t get it right the first time he kept trying.”

Joshua - who grew up on the Meriden estate - joined the club to avoid some “trouble on the streets”, though Mr Murphy said he rarely had any trouble with him, only occasionally having to stop him chatting to other boxers.

He added: “He was very respectful, never cheeky but was sometimes a bit over-friendly and I was forever on his back to tell him to stop talking and get on with it.”

In a BBC documentary Anthony Joshua: The Road to Klitschko, aired last week, Anthony was seen surprising his former boxing coach with a £60,000 BMW on the eve of the biggest fight of his life.

After seeing the car, the coach exclaimed: "What the f*** man, f*** off, I'll be too scared to drive it.

"I remember Josh saying to me a long time ago, 'I'll look after you', but you don’t expect this.

"Him winning the world title was enough for me."

But Anthony said: "These guys will always have their door open for me; when all is said and done I'll always remember who was there when no one else was."

The boxing club has seen an “influx” of young people joining and learning the sport since Joshua's success.