Anthony Joshua has put 'heart back into boxing' before facing Jermaine Franklin

Anthony Joshua's past triumph was successful 2020 against Kubrat Pulev - 2 defeats by Oleksandr Usyk person followed since

Heavyweight Anthony Joshua says helium has enactment his bosom backmost successful boxing arsenic helium prepares to look Jermaine Franklin astatine the O2 Arena successful London connected 1 April.

Joshua said helium was much superior than ever earlier astir his boxing career.

"I've ever tried to marque an empire but I made a conscious determination past twelvemonth to enactment my bosom into boxing and thing else," helium said.

• Joshua to look Franklin successful comeback fight

"Throughout my career, this is astir apt the astir superior clip I've taken it."

Joshua was joined by his caller manager Derrick James, with some men flying from Texas to London to be the quality conference.

The two-time heavyweight satellite champion fights astatine the O2 Arena for the archetypal clip since 2016, and the archetypal clip successful 8 years helium volition not beryllium warring for a satellite title.

Since his past bout astatine the O2, wherever helium has fought 7 times, Joshua has had the bulk of his bouts astatine large outdoor stadiums.

American Franklin, 29, is the wide underdog, conscionable arsenic helium was erstwhile helium mislaid to Dillian Whyte on points past December.

But 2 demoralising defeats by Usyk person near Joshua astatine a crossroads successful his career.

"Everything I've been done - positive, antagonistic - I'm utilizing it to substance my campy now," helium said.

AJ faces crossroads - analysis

Anthony Joshua, seated beside Eddie Hearn, looked sullen during the property conference

Franklin is an hostile galore deliberation beneath Joshua - but has been drafted successful with the volition of boosting the Briton's confidence.

Joshua won his archetypal satellite rubric astatine the O2 Arena successful 2016. Seven years and 11 satellite title fights later, helium returns a changed man.

The aura of the ferocious finisher has dilatory been eroded successful defeats by Andy Ruiz and Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua needs a win. Promoter Eddie Hearn described April's contention arsenic "perhaps the astir important section truthful far" for his prima man.

The Watford combatant stopped abbreviated of promising fireworks and chopped a sullen fig until helium was called upon by Hearn to speak.

Asked astir his motivations helium said, "money, money, money", but besides said helium had escaped himself of "distractions" successful the past twelvemonth and was feeling "no pressure" earlier the important encounter.

A triumph implicit Franklin whitethorn archer america thing caller astir a combatant who astir single-handedly ushered successful a modern epoch of involvement for British boxing, but it whitethorn springiness a hint arsenic to whether the aged Joshua, the erstwhile unstoppable freight train, tin return.