JOSHUA BUATSI hid his boxing career from his strict parents – until the local newspaper blew his cover.

Buatsi was born and raised in Ghana but moved to South London when he was nine years old.

By 15, he followed his friends to the boxing gym but had to do it in secret due to his parents’ disapproval.

It was only when Buatsi won the ABA national amateur championship in 2014 that his dad discovered where his free time was really being spent.

Buatsi told SunSport: “When I started boxing at that time, I just wanted to win.

“Because the thing is, I had to be good at it, because my parents said, ‘Don’t fight,’ but I said, ‘I’m going to do it.’

“But I said, ‘If I do it, I have to be good at it.’ So, if they ever read about me, they’re going to say, ‘Oh, at least he won.’ My parents didn’t know I was boxing until I became national champion.

“My dad read it in the papers, and he was like, ‘Oh, it says Buatsi. We’re the only Buatsis the way it’s spelled.’

“So he was like, ‘You do boxing?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ But at least he read I was national champion.”

Buatsi even had to pretend his boxing bag was full of football gear when he snuck off to training.

He said: “Once my dad was like, ‘Let me see what’s in that bag.’ I said, ‘Oh, it’s football stuff.’ He said, ‘Yeah, yeah, open it.’

“I opened it, I had my gloves, my wraps, my gumshield, and he said, ‘You’re going boxing?’ I was caught red-handed!

“Then he said, ‘Stop it.’ I said, ‘All right, cool.’ Still didn’t stop, though!

“But up till now, like, my dad’s my biggest supporter. Both my parents and my family,they are very supportive of owhatI do. It makes it a lot easier.

Buatsi says his dad finally accepted his decision to fight when he turned 18 – and five years later he won bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games.

The light-heavyweight had Floyd Mayweather specially fly over to Brazil to watch him in action – before offering Buatsi a professional contract.

But Buatsi turned the boxing great down – so he could finish his bachelor’s degree in Management with Sports Science.

He explained: “Sticking to education and carrying on with education was quite important to me.

“In Ghana, it’s like the dumb kids do boxing, so I wanted to show them, ‘No, you don’t got to be dumb to fight.’

“You can still fight and still be smart. You can still be in education and do such a sport as boxing.

“So, that was very important to me to show to my parents that actually, I’m still doing education like you’ve told me to prioritise, but I’m still fighting.

“So, that was very, very important for me to do.”

Ten years on from the Olympics and Buatsi challenges for his first world title in the pro ranks – taking on Willy Hutchinson for the vacant WBC title.

Buatsi, 33, beat Hutchinson, 28, in September 2024 but their rematch on Saturday in Manchester will have the famous green and gold belt on the line.

When Buatsi won Olympic bronze, he took his medal back to his hometown to parade.

And he revealed a woman almost walked away with it – but that will not stop him from bringing back the world title belt for a similar celebration.

Buatsi said: “It’s not just for me. It’s for everyone. People can hold, take a picture of, do whatever they want to do with it.

“Boxing has never been something that, I want to be the only beneficiary of. I want others to benefit from it.

“So if I win and you’re fascinated by a world title, a belt, a medal, take it, hold it. Just don’t run away with it!”