The deposed world heavyweight champ, 32, faces the biggest fight of his life in August against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk, who took his four heavyweight crowns last year.
On a visit to The Sun’s offices yesterday, he revealed he has been quietly making donations for months, buying medical supplies to ease civilian suffering in Ukraine.
And Joshua even paid tribute to 35-year-old hardman Usyk – who has been given special permission to take a break from fighting Russians to train for the rematch.
Battling Brit Anthony saluted Ukraine’s courage, but yesterday pledged to batter Usyk to become one of boxing’s comeback kings alongside boxing greats Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
Speaking of Ukraine’s plight at the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Joshua told The Sun: “It upsets me how civilians always suffer the most.
The civilians are being hit hardest by the Russian tactics — just carpet bombing an area regardless of who’s there then just occupying it. I find that so upsetting.
“The whole point of having Nato and these bodies is to sit down and have discussions so civilians don’t get caught up in war and it’s hard to believe it’s happening again.
“War seems such an old fashioned way of settling scores — surely there are more civilised ways of doing things.”
Joshua revealed he has been speaking to former Ukrainian rival Wladimir Klitschko, 46, since Putin launched his bloodbath offensive in February, to find out how he can help the embattled nation.
He beat Klitschko — brother of fellow heavyweight star and current Kyiv mayor Vitali — in 2017 in an epic fight in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley to retain his world titles.
But the pair have since become friends and have spoken in recent months since Russia invaded.
Joshua told The Sun: “I spoke to him about donating to charities. I saw what was happening and just wanted to know if there was any way I could help.
“I’ve been doing this privately. He recommended I donate to groups taking first aid out to Ukraine.
He asked me to do a video but I prefer to try to let my actions speak louder than my words.
“I try not to go out and buy Lamborghinis and Ferraris, big watches and gold chains and all that stuff and try to use some of my income to helps others.
“I’m now helping people in Ukraine and Nigeria as well as my own community in the UK and my home town, Watford.
“I’m giving to Ukraine now, when it matters, because it’s from the heart.
