From fist to fizz, two-time heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua is no stranger to energy drinks marketing.

In 2019, the multimillionaire boxer stepped up to front a £5m marketing campaign for a new Lucozade Sport soft drink called Fruit Punch, a product bearing the fighter's 'Stay Humble' slogan and labelled in distinctive gold cap to reflect his Olympic, Commonwealth and British trophies.

And yesterday, as part of the ongoing deal, Joshua paid a visit to Lucozade owner Suntory Beverage and Food GB&I's Coleford factory for a behind-the-scenes tour on the back of a recent win.

A spokesman for the factory said the visit gave Mr Joshua "a first-hand experience of the production process of Lucozade Sport Fruit Punch", which he worked with the team to co-create back in 2019.

The renowned fighter joined the SBF GB&I team for a Q&A session where he discussed the highs and lows of his journey as a heavyweight boxer and reflected on his long-standing partnership with the brand and business.

Mr Joshua said: "Seeing my face on the side of the legendary Lucozade Sport bottle never gets old. Stepping out of the ring and up to the production line has given me the chance to see all the hard work that goes into making my Fruit Punch drink and I hope it keeps encouraging people to stay active and chase their fitness goals - no matter how big or small, for years to come."

Matt Riches, Head of Partnerships at SBF GB&I, said: "We loved welcoming AJ to our factory to show him where the magic happens. We've been alongside AJ on his journey to transform British boxing over the past few years and continue to share his passion for inspiring the nation to get active."

SBF GB&I's 53-acre factory in Coleford employs more than 330 people and was built in 1946, from which Lucozade and Ribena are produced. It is one of the largest Suntory-owned factories in Europe, producing around one billion bottles per year. In 2020 a state-of-the-art bottling line which requires 40% less water and energy to make each bottle was activated.

Earlier this month, Talksport estimated that Joshua (vital statistics: 6ft 6, 33 and born in Watford), had been listed in the 2020 The Sunday Times Rich List with a wealth of £115m, but is likely to have since added a further £100m to his personal fortune.

No stranger to controversy, Joshua was criticised by the National Obesity Forum on the launch of Lucozade Fruit Punch.

Tam Fry, chairman, said: "Mr Joshua, as well as being a hypocrite, is irresponsible," adding that sports personalities and celebrities have a huge responsibility to fans when promoting anything "injurious to their health".

But the drinks maker rejected the criticism, stating that it had reduced sugar content across Lucozade and Ribena products, pointing out that the drink contains carbohydrates and electrolytes to enhance hydration and help maintain performance during endurance exercise. A spokesman said: "We do not condone or encourage excessive consumption of sugar. We use our brand to encourage exercise."

In 2019, Punchline reported on a "cool 13m investment"at Suntory's Coleford plant to fill an astonishing 1.3million bottles a day and cut its energy use per bottle filled by 40 per cent.

Last summer, we reported on the factory rolling out on-the-go 500ml bottles which (excluding the cap and label) are made from 100 per cent recycled polyethylene tetraphyte (rPET). The company heralded the move as "a significant achievement in the face of current industry challenges to secure supply of food grade quality rPET".