Two-time heavyweight champion of the world Anthony Joshua has launched a bid to support the UK's fitness experts during the global coronavirus pandemic.The COVID-19 virus has turned the fitness world upside down - with gyms closed and people staying indoors, and the industry has taken a severe hit because of it.However, Joshua has teamed up with Lucozade Sport, setting up a fund worth £100,000 in a bid to help UK’s fitness experts and believes his solution will help during these difficult times.Dubbed ‘Keep Us Moving’, the initiative backed by Joshua will be open to all qualified coaches and trainers across a diverse range of sports.Fitness experts will be given the opportunity to host live classes via Lucozade’s Instagram account and YouTube channel to give them exposure and get the nation working out from home.These online classes will be available for free and all trainers will be paid for each piece of content used by the channel in return for their expertise, with an initial £100,000 fund up for grabs.On the incentive, Joshua claimed, as per The Sun: “Sport is being impacted on a global level by this pandemic and coaches and trainers are having to find new ways to adapt.“But there’s no better time for the nation to be keeping fit, so I hope trainers across the country will take the opportunity to join me in keeping Britain moving together with Lucozade Sport.“Fitness experts, we need you!”Tom Bell, head of marketing at Lucozade Sport, added: “We wanted to show our support for the people that keep our nation active.
“We hope our new Keep Us Moving initiative will offer trainers and instructors some welcome support during the crisis, while giving the UK access to a diverse range of free home workouts for a variety of abilities.”Like many of us around the UK, Joshua has been hit hard by coronavirus, and recently opened up on his heartbreak at losing “close friends” to the illness.“Wherever you are in the world, I'm just checking in personally for everyone to just say that I hope you're all well, you're all keeping safe.“This is a message to say you've got my support, we're all doing the right thing.“To the people who are suffering with coronavirus, I wish you a speedy recovery because it is no joke.
“To the ones who have suffered, and lost loved ones, I want to say keep your head up. You've got my love. Blessings to you and your family and condolences.
“I've lost no one immediate to me but I've lost close ones from my boxing gym, close friends, friends of friends, and it gets serious when it starts coming closer to home.”
Furthermore, his scheduled fight with Kubrat Pulev has been postponed due to the global pandemic, with a new provisional date in July a possibility.