What it takes to make boxing shorts for Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua doesn't like snakes, has boxing shorts lined with Christian Dior silk and is a fan of the colour white.

These are the secrets designer Sophie Whittam, 28, has discovered from making outfits for the heavyweight champion.

And she has been given the special task of designing the shorts he will wear as he defends his IBF and WBA titles against Carlos Takam on Saturday.

While the final design is being kept under wraps, Sophie tells Newsbeat that Anthony's had a huge say in what he steps out in.

"Anthony will lead the way," she says. "He'll be like 'I wanna wear this colour' and that sets the precedent for what I design.

"He's very involved in the design process so it's very personal for what he wants.

"It's always got to suit him."

Sophie has designed boxing shorts for Anthony before

Sophie, who lives in Sheffield, won't reveal exactly what AJ is wearing this weekend - the pair like it to be a surprise for the fans.

But she does say they are lined with Christian Dior silk and include a python skin pattern.

"There's no real snakes. Anthony doesn't like snakes so I'm not gonna put a real snake on his shorts.

"I don't wanna give the game away. He does like white and he does look amazing in white so that's as much as I'll give," Sophie adds.

Sophie designed Anthony Joshua's outfit for his fight against Wladimir Klitschko

AJ is not the first boxing champ that Sophie has made shorts for.

Since launching her business Fight Label three years ago, she has made outfits for big names like Floyd Mayweather, Carl Frampton and Nicola Adams.

Sophie can even boast having a hand in the most expensive boxing match in history between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor.

The designer flew to Las Vegas to make Floyd his shorts in what she describes as "the craziest week of my entire life".

Sophie employs a small team at her workshop in Sheffield

Sophie initially thought the boxer would have to ditch wearing her shorts because of a paid deal to wear another pair.

But he surprised her by wearing her shorts and said it was because he preferred her design.

"When we walked out to the ring he came out in them and my jaw just dropped," she says.

"It's nice to have made a piece of history. This is the most famous fight the world has ever seen."

Sophie also designed Floyd Mayweather's shorts for his 50th fight against Conor McGregor in Las Vegas

Sophie is also making shorts for former British Olympic boxer Lawrence Okolie - who is fighting on the undercard on Saturday.

He says he likes that he has the chance to wear what he wants in the ring now he's turned professional.

Lawrence Okolie posing at the Team GB victory parade

"When you're in the Great Britain team it's all standard, everyone wears the same thing.

"It's not just about walking out to the fight, it's about trying it on the day before, looking at yourself on the day of.

"I remember putting it on [the shorts] and feeling like an African superhero when I looked at myself in the mirror."

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