“I texted my boss – because I had two jobs booked in for Wednesday -he rang me, and I said, ‘It’s happened again, mate!’” said Josh Padley. He recalled how a phone call changed his life and brought him to the fore, and now he’s about to face one of the finest boxers of the era on the world’s biggest stage. For British fans, Josh Padley became a recognizable name when last September he defeated the well-favored Mark Chamberlain on the Anthony Joshua–Daniel Dubois card at Wembley.

Josh Padley has reached Riyadh. He will face Shakur Stevenson for the latter’s lightweight title. The twist in the plot occurred when Floyd Schofield, initially slated to face Stevenson, fell ill and had to be hospitalized. Padley, who stands twelfth in the WBC top-15 rankings, has suddenly been thrust into what could possibly be the biggest fight of his career. Like fans, perhaps Padley also understands – against a technical slickster like Stevenson, he has razor-thin chances. The matchup may have propelled his name into the spotlight. Now many appear keen to know more about his personal life as well.

Josh Padley’s wife and kids

Per the available details, the 29-year-old is not married. He is reportedly engaged to Sylvana Emilio. There’s no indication that the couple has had children so far. Facebook details reveal that she has been working at a private concern since 2018. Last year, in January, she shared a beautiful picture that featured her standing alongside Josh Padley.

She proudly sported an engagement ring. As they crossed a major milestone in their relationship, many followers congratulated the couple. Sylvana Emilio is often seen ringside cheering up her boyfriend. It’s not known whether she’ll be joining Padley as he steps into the ring for the greatest challenge of his five-year-old career.

More about Josh Padley’s background

Josh Padley remembers his flight to Riyadh fondly. “I flew business class. A recliner seat and stuff like that, never done it before,” he said. For a man who works as a part-time electrician, it must have been a bolt from the blue. Following the huge upset win over Chamberlain, Padley grabbed headlines. However, things didn’t go as hoped. The lightweight felt, perhaps, he entered the thankless zone of ‘all risk, no reward.’ There were reports of potential matchups against Maxi Hughes and Dalton Smith, but nothing came to fruition.

Making his debut in April 2019, Josh Padley has thus far fought 15 times. The years saw him win the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) Central Area lightweight championship. However, the uncertainties involved in boxing thrust him to explore opportunities in other lines of work. Born in Doncaster, Padley lives in the Yorkshire town of Armthorpe.

Realizing the daunting task that lies ahead, Josh Padley told The Ring Magazine, “Again, going in as the underdog. No pressure on my behalf; everybody is already expecting me to lose and writing me off before I’ve even gotten in there again, so I’ve got everything to gain again.”

Whether Josh Padley has the nerves to stage a huge upset against a future Hall of Famer and send the world into a spin, fans will be eagerly looking forward to it.

What about you? Do you think Josh Padley will have his ‘Buster’ Douglas moment tonight?