It was hard to escape the furore that followed Anthony Joshua’s stunning knockout victory over Wladimir Klitschko on Saturday night.

For people living in the Meriden estate in Garston, it was a surreal experience watching one of their own becoming unified heavyweight champion of the world while at the same time overcoming a somewhat chequered past.

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Speaking to residents and business owners on the estate this week, the sense of pride for their homegrown star is there for all to see.

Donald Langford, who runs Meriden Fish and Chips, has close ties with the Joshua family – AJ’s sister works at the takeaway and his brother is good friends with Mr Langford’s son.

Having seen the boy affectionately known as “Femi” grow up from a skinny youth to the six foot six behemoth he is today, Mr Langford says it was a strange experience watching him walk out in front of 90,000 people at Wembley.

Watford Observer:

“He must be the most famous person in the whole world right now. We’re absolutely proud,” he said.  

“He wasn’t really a badboy. He would always say hello to you – he was a nice kid.”

Tony Seabrook manages The Badger pub in the Meriden with his brother Darren. Joshua was back in the pub last year, filming on location for a Sky Sports documentary charting the boxing star’s rise to fame.  

A year on, more than 100 people at the pub cheered AJ to victory in the biggest fight of his career, with the publican describing Joshua as “a bit of a local hero” to many regulars.

Meriden resident Stuart Fretwell said there was a party atmosphere on the estate that night.

He said Joshua was a “local lad who’s done great things and now he’s put the estate on the map”.

“It’s nice that he’s staying so humble,” he added.