Every boxer has rituals they follow—some, people know about, others, not so much. For former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, it’s listening to music/soundtracks. The Englishman is about to enter the ring against the IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois on September 21st at the widely popular Wembley Stadium.

The all-British clash is set to be the biggest combat sports spectacle of the year in the country, as the duo vie for the IBF heavyweight title. However, during yesterday’s grand arrivals, something subtle caught the eye of sharp observers—Joshua had a single AirPod in his left ear. If you’re a hardcore fan of AJ, you’ve probably seen this before. Regardless, the real question is, what was he listening to?

Knockout playlist from Anthony Joshua

During yesterday’s grand arrivals, AJ spoke to a correspondent from DAZN Boxing and she brought up the subject. What was Joshua listening to on his AirPod? Well, Joshua’s answer was rather simple. He simply responded, “Hans Zimmer.” If you aren’t familiar with Zimmer’s work, you must wonder what exactly Joshua was listening to.

Hans Zimmer is a renowned German composer and music producer, celebrated for his iconic film scores in movies like Inception, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Interstellar, and Gladiator. Known for his masterful orchestration, epic sound, and emotional depth, Zimmer seamlessly blends electronic and classical elements to create powerful, immersive soundscapes that elevate every story he scores.

Now that you are familiar with his work, let’s learn a bit more about his career and life. 

Who is Hans Zimmer?

So, we have the score part of Zimmer’s career, but what else? The 67-year-old was born on September 12th, 1957, in Frankfurt, and has scored upwards of 150 movies in his career. His work was so good that he won two Academy Awards for his work in The Lion King (1994) and Dune (2021). That’s not even the end of the list of awards Zimmer has won though. 

He was also honored with four Grammys for his work with major movies, which have delighted fans and critics alike. And all these successes came despite not having an extensive musical background. He did have two weeks of piano lessons before he decided to teach himself the craft on his own. 

Interestingly, his passion for film scores began when he experienced Ennio Morricone’s work, especially in Once Upon a Time in the West. This simple passion would eventually lead him to work with the top directors in the industry, including Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve. Where is he today? The man runs Remote Control Productions, a company known for its cutting-edge film music. 

That said, Anthony Joshua clearly has very good taste in music or, in his case, soundtracks from experts in the field. If you look for it, you may spot Joshua with one AirPod again, and you will know what he is listening to. Would you try Zimmer’s work?