I would advise the 2012 AJ to work harder… and make sure he NEVER EVER loses his world heavyweight crown, says Anthony Joshua

ANTHONY JOSHUA would have told his Olympian self to work even harder – and make sure he didn’t lose his world heavyweight title.

A decade and four days ago, the Hulk from Watford became a national hero when he won super heavyweight gold at the London 2012 Olympics.

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It catapulted the 6ft 6in powerhouse to three world titles and millions of pounds.

But Joshua now realizes there could have been more, especially before the points loss to Oleksandr Usyk last September that cost him his WBA, IBF and WBO belts.

The pair meet again in Jeddah on Saturday in a fight that AJ must win.

Joshua, now 32, was asked what he would say if he could go back in time and speak to his 22-year-old self.

He said: “I have a lot of experience to pass on.

“I would definitely say train hard. I trained as hard as I could for the task at hand, but I trained harder at this camp to be honest.

“I pushed myself harder than before. I pushed myself and did things that I’ve never done before in training. That comes from losing. By the time I won, what I was doing was enough.”

AJ also admits he regrets not having met Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury after ten years into his career.

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Deals for both – to decide an undisputed heavyweight ruler – came tantalizingly close before collapsing.

Fury then won two of three great fights with the American to finish first in the division.

Joshua, with 24 wins from 26 fights, added: “I can’t say I would have changed much otherwise.

“Maybe I probably would have had other fights. Maybe the Wilder fight, the Fury fight, but they didn’t happen.

“Apart from that, everything was relevant for the time.

“But looking back now, I would pass my knowledge on to the younger, up-and-coming fighters. I have the feeling that I have gained a lot of experience.”

Following Fury’s latest retirement on Friday, his Ring Magazine belt is now at stake in Jeddah – alongside AJ’s old belt.

The ring belt is held by each division’s unique boss.

But Joshua laughed: “Eddie Hearn called and texted me about it and I didn’t even answer. I don’t even care about the Ring Magazine belt.

“That’s where my thoughts are, this is all about the fight.”