HEARN: BRIT'S A KNOCKOUT FOR AJ

A big title win will get country buzzing again

- CHRIS MCKENNA

ANTHONY JOSHUA can get the British buzz back if he puts on a show against Daniel Dubois later this month.

Promoter Eddie Hearn accepts that AJ' fanfare was at a peak when he stopped Wladimir Klitschko in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley in 2017.

The Watford heavyweight unified the WBA and IBF titles that night and the nation was in Joshua fever mode as he packed pubs out as well as stadiums.

But defeat on the road to Andy Ruiz Jr and then redemption in Saudi Arabia somewhat dampened the excitement.

Then Covid-19 hit before Joshua's first big date back in Blighty in defeat ended to Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before a loss in the rematch in Jeddah.

Joshua, 34, went back indoors to rebuild with wins over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius at the 02 before Saudi money came calling again for fights with Otto Wallin and UFC star Francis Ngannou.